Relationship between perceived discrimination and social anxiety among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in China: The mediating roles of affiliate stigma and perceived social support

Background: Social anxiety among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a critical issue because it could lead to adverse consequences for psychological and social functioning. Research shows that there is a positive correlation between perceived discrimination and social anxiety. Affiliate stigma and low levels of perceived social support, which may stem from experiences of discrimination, can produce negative emotions, such as social anxiety. Additionally, the negative effects of affiliate stigma on perceived social support have also been documented. Therefore, this study explored the mediating role of affiliate stigma and perceived social support between perceived discrimination and social anxiety among parents of children with ASD in China.Method: 396 parents of children with ASD participated in a cross-sectional online survey that included measures of perceived discrimination, affiliate stigma, perceived social support, and social anxiety. The results were analyzed by SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 26.0. Results: (1) Perceived discrimination, affiliate stigma, and perceived social support were significantly correlated with the social anxiety of parents of children with ASD; (2) Affiliate stigma and perceived social support may mediate the association between perceived discrimination and social anxiety, respectively; (3) Affiliate stigma and perceived social support may mediate the relationship between perceived discrimination and social anxiety.Conclusions: The findings suggest that experiences of discrimination by parents of children with ASD are associated with relatively high affiliate stigma and lower perceived social support, which may contribute to social anxiety. Although there are limitations in the analyses of cross-sectional data, the findings show preliminary implications for the prevention and intervention of social anxiety among parents of children with ASD.