Self-compassion mediates stigma for parents of transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Objective: The current study assessed self-reported self-compassion, courtesy stigma, life satisfaction, and depression among parents of transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). This study tests the hypothesis that self-compassion is a mediator between courtesy stigma and parents' psychosocial adjustment. Method: One hundred parents of transition-age youth with IDDs completed a cross-sectional survey assessing courtesy stigma, self-compassion, life satisfaction, and depression. Study information was disseminated via community organizations, and participants self-selected to participate. "PROCESS" macro with 5,000 bootstrapped samples was used to test self-compassion as a mediator between courtesy stigma and parents' life satisfaction (Satisfaction With Life Scale) and depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short Depression Scale). Results: Self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between courtesy stigma and caregiver depressive symptoms (effect = .28, CI [.16, .45]). Self-compassion did not mediate the relationship between courtesy stigma and satisfaction with life. Implications: Findings suggest self-compassion could be leveraged to help counter the effects of courtesy stigma on parents. Future research should seek to explore potential differences in these relationships according to cultural factors or by diagnostic group. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The interactive effects of parental self-efficacy and child eating styles in relation to naturalistically-assessed craving, overeating, and loss of control eating.

OBJECTIVE: Parental factors have been linked to weight-related outcomes in children, though less is known regarding the role of parental self-efficacy (PSE) for promoting healthy dietary behaviors (HDBs). This study examined associations between PSE for promoting HDBs and child reports of craving, overeating, and loss of control eating in daily life. The interactive effects of PSE and child eating style (emotional eating, external eating, and restraint) were also explored. METHOD: Thirty-eight youth (ages 8-14; 55.3% female) with overweight/obesity and their parents completed the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children (DEBQ-C) and Parental Self-Efficacy for Healthy Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors Scale, respectively. Youth completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to report craving, overeating, and loss of control eating. RESULTS: Generalized estimating equations indicated no consistent main effects of PSE on EMA outcomes, but PSE interacted with DEBQ-C child eating styles to predict each EMA outcome. Among children of parents with lower PSE, (a) higher emotional eating was associated with greater overeating and loss of control eating; (b) higher external eating was associated with greater craving; and (c) higher restraint was associated with greater loss of control eating and craving. Conversely, these associations were attenuated among children of parents with higher PSE. DISCUSSION: Together findings suggest the interplay of child characteristics and PSE regarding children's eating behaviors warrants future investigation in the context of eating and weight disorders. In particular, further research is needed to examine the directionality of effects and mechanisms underlying these associations.