The relationship between parental stress and treatment adherence in parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) require long-term medical care from clinicians and high-level daily support from their parents throughout the lifespan. Parents, as the primary caregivers, serve as major providers of daily care and important supporters of medical services.

Objective

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between parental stress and treatment adherence, while also examining the roles of family resilience and affiliate stigma in this dynamic among parents of children with NDDs.

Method

Utilizing a convenience sampling approach, we recruited parents of children with NDDs to participate in an online survey. The survey included validated measures assessing parental stress, treatment compliance, family resilience, and affiliate stigma. Descriptive statistics were computed to summarize demographic characteristics and key study variables. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine the bivariate relationships among the key study variables. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to identify predictive factors of treatment compliance. Mediation analysis was performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to explore the effect of affiliate stigma and family resilience on the relationship between parental stress and treatment compliance.

Result

A total of 310 parents of children with NDDs participated in the online survey. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that treatment compliance was negatively correlated with parental stress (r = -0.385, p < 0.001) and affiliate stigma (r = -0.787, p < 0.001), while treatment compliance was positively correlated with family resilience (r = 0.856, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that parental stress (β = − 0.091, p < 0.001) and affiliate stigma (β = − 0.410, p < 0.001) were significant negative predictors of treatment compliance, while family resilience (β = 0.576, p < 0.001) was a significant positive predictor of treatment compliance. Moderated mediation analysis revealed that affiliate stigma mediated while family resilience moderated the relationship between parental stress and treatment compliance (all p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study underscores the complex interplay between parental stress, affiliate stigma, family resilience, and treatment adherence among parents of children with NDDs. The findings advocate for both clinical efforts and academic initiatives focused on developing targeted support programs and intervention strategies. These measures aim to alleviate parental stress, reduce affiliate stigma, and enhance family resilience, ultimately promoting treatment adherence and optimizing developmental outcomes for children.