Emotional Regulation and Parental Involvement as Factors Contributing to Family Resilience among Indonesian Parents of Autistic Children

Purpose: This study explores the relationship of parental involvement and cognitive emotional regulation on family resilience among Indonesian parents of autistic children. It aims to determine how these factors contribute to family resilience and compare resilience levels between parents of autistic and typically developing children.Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 213 parents of autistic children and 218 parents of typically developing children in Indonesia. Participants completed online questionnaires measuring parental involvement, cognitive emotional regulation, and family resilience using the Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire (WFRQ) and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-short). Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s correlation and independent samples t-tests, were conducted to assess the relationships and differences between groups.Results: Significant positive correlations were found between parental involvement, cognitive emotional regulation, and family resilience. Parents of autistic children reported lower total family resilience scores compared to parents of typically developing children, with significant differences observed in organizational patterns. However, no significant differences were found in belief systems or communication/problem solving components.Conclusion: The study highlights the critical role of parental involvement and cognitive emotional regulation in fostering family resilience, particularly in families with autistic children. Further research is needed to explore these relationships longitudinally and in diverse cultural contexts.