Spillover of Daily Parenting Experiences Into Interparental Relationships in Chinese Families of Children With Autism: Mediated by Daily Affect and Moderated by Trait Mindfulness

Abstract

Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be stressful for parents, posing unique challenges not only in their relationships with the child but also in their relationships with each other. The present study examined the daily spillover of parenting experiences (i.e., child-related stress and parent–child conflict) into interparental relationships (i.e., marital conflict and satisfaction). We also explored whether daily positive and negative affect mediated these spillover effects and whether parental trait mindfulness moderated them. Seventy-three Chinese parents (55 mothers) of children with autism completed a baseline survey and daily diaries for 14 consecutive days. Results revealed that on days with elevated child-related stress and parent–child conflict, parents reported increased marital conflict and decreased marital satisfaction on the same day (but not the next day). Furthermore, the same-day spillover processes were fully or partially mediated by daily negative affect. Importantly, parental trait mindfulness acted as a buffer against the adverse effects of daily parent–child conflict on parents' negative affect. The findings provide valuable insights for intervention strategies aimed at enhancing interparental relationships during stressful parenting days and underscore the importance of mitigating negative affect and cultivating trait mindfulness to alleviate this spillover process.