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. 2022 Mar 24:13:835110.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.835110. eCollection 2022.

Influence of Social Support Network and Perceived Social Support on the Subjective Wellbeing of Mothers of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Xiao-Bin Bi  1 , Hui-Zhong He  1   2 , Hai-Ying Lin  3 , Xiao-Zhuang Fan  1
Affiliations

Influence of Social Support Network and Perceived Social Support on the Subjective Wellbeing of Mothers of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Xiao-Bin Bi et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

This study explored the relations between the social support network of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), perceived social support, and their subjective wellbeing. The participants were mothers of children with ASD in Shanghai. Their social support network structure was explored via the nomination method. Perceived social support was measured using the Revised Social Provisions Scale for Autism (R-SPS-A), and the mothers' subjective wellbeing was assessed using the Index of Wellbeing, Index of General Affect. A significant correlation was observed between the subjective wellbeing of mothers of children with ASD and perceived social support. Meanwhile, perceived social support was significantly correlated with the effectiveness of overall social support. Finally, perceived social support was also significantly correlated with the network size of social support. Moreover, the effectiveness of social support was significantly associated with the network size of social support and was highly significantly associated with the degree of intimacy of social support. Furthermore, the network size of instrumental support has a significant influence on all perceived social support subdimensions. Overall, social support effectiveness plays an important role in the social support network mechanism on perceived social support and subjective wellbeing in China.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; mother; perceived social support; social network; subjective wellbeing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Hypothetical models of the effect of social support network on perceived social support and subjective wellbeing. (A) Hypothetical model 1. (B) Hypothetical model 2. (C) Hypothetical model 3.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Path analysis of the influence pattern of social support network on perceived social support and wellbeing.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Hypothetical models of path analysis based on social support network and perceived social support. (A) Hypothetical model 1. (B) Hypothetical model 2.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Path analysis of the influence pattern of social support network on perceived social support.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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