The Effects of Strength Spotting on Self-Reported Parenting Competence and Parent-Child Relationship Quality in Parents of Autistic Youth

Abstract

Autism research has often focused on the deficits and challenges experienced by younger children on the spectrum, resulting in the underrepresentation of autistic youth and adolescent populations. Moreover, the emphasis on deficits may negatively impact the quality of parent-child relationships and self-perceived parenting abilities among parents of autistic children. Alternatively, strengths-based interventions such as Strength Spotting may facilitate a shift toward recognizing the positive characteristics of autistic people and benefit families with children on the spectrum. The present pilot study sought to explore the effects of Strength Spotting on parent-child relationship quality and self-reported parenting competence among parents of autistic youth. Nine parents participated in the study, where they learned about and implemented Strength Spotting with their autistic children. We used a pre-post-test design to measure parent-child relationship quality and parenting competence changes. The results revealed non-significant differences in relationship quality, with moderate to large effect sizes suggesting potential improvements. In contrast, parenting competence significantly improved with large effects when comparing pre- and post-intervention stages. Despite the non-significant changes in relationship quality, this study demonstrated high social validity and, to our knowledge, was the first to apply Strength Spotting with parents of youth on the autism spectrum. These preliminary findings hold promise for autistic people and their families, highlighting the importance of recognizing positive behaviours among autistic family members. Furthermore, positively oriented interventions such as Strength Spotting may also have beneficial personal and clinical implications for autistic people and their families.