Table 2. Studies conducted on evaluation of parenting competence in parents with autistic children.

Reference	Description
43	Scale: Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) Authors, year: Sarabi Jamab et al., 2011 Sample characteristics: 21 mothers of preschool children with autism (aged 3-7 years) Components of the Measure: 16 items; general measure Psychometrics: Cronbach’s α=0.57 Results: Parents training caused no increase in their self-efficacy, satisfaction, and parenting competence.
47	Scales: The Parenting Stress Index (PSI) Authors, year: Baker-Ericzen et al., 2005 Sample characteristics: parents of 37 children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and 23 typically developing children (TDC). Components of the Measure: 120 items; domain-specific measure; The Child Domain, The Parent domain. Psychometrics: Cronbach’s α=0.92. Results: Parents with autistic children reported higher stress levels compared to those with normal children. Nevertheless, mothers with autistic children showed a significant reduction in their stress in relation to their children, not parenting stress. They also noted that children’s social skills were the most important factor affecting their stress levels. However, no significant difference was observed in fathers’ stress levels in child-related and parenting dimensions.
48	Scale: The World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-BREF self-administered instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) Authors, year: Dardas et al., 2014. Sample characteristics: 184 parents of children with Autistic Disorder. Components of the Measure: 26 items; domain-specific measure; (physical, psychological, social, and environmental health) and two individual items about an individual’s overall perception of QOL and health. Psychometrics: Cronbach’s α=0.67-0.93. Results: The results showed no significant difference between mothers and fathers with autistic children regarding physical, mental, social, and environmental health. Moreover, parents’ quality of life was significantly associated with stress, adaptation strategies, and demographic features.
49	Scale: Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) Authors, year: Giallo et al., 2011 Sample characteristics: 59 Parents of children with ASDs aged between 2 and 5 years Components of the Measure: 16 items; general measure. Psychometrics: Cronbach’s α=0.75. Results: Mothers of autistic children reported higher fatigue levels compared to those with normal children. Additionally, mothers’ fatigue was associated with age, occupation, and number of autistic children in the family. On the other hand, a significant relationship was found between parents’ self-efficacy and fatigue, depression, anxiety, low-quality sleep, and need for social support. However, none of these factors could predict satisfaction level and self-efficacy in parents with autistic children.
50	Scales: Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) Authors, year: Rezendes et al., 2011 Sample characteristics: 140 mothers of children between the ages of 3 and 16 with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) Components of the Measure: 16 items; general measure. Psychometrics: Cronbach’s α=0.69. Results: Parenting stress was affected by the relationship between children’s behavioral problems and parents’ self-efficacy. On the other hand, parents’ self-efficacy was associated with the relationship between parental stress and depression and anxiety. Accordingly, behavioral problems increased parents’ stress levels, decreased their self-efficacy, and increased their anxiety and depression.
51	Scales: Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) Authors, year: Rodriguez et al.,1992 Sample characteristics: Fathers of 20 autistic, 20 Down syndrome, and 20 developmentally normal children Components of the Measure: 16 items; general measure Psychometrics: Cronbach’s α=0.69. Results: The results revealed a significant difference between the fathers of children with autism and Down syndrome and those with normal children regarding familial function and interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, fathers of children with autism and Down syndrome mentioned that they repeatedly used information seeking and fantasizing as defense mechanisms.