Autism Parenting Stress Index (APSI)
A measure of parenting stress specific to core and co-morbid symptoms of autism.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Autism Parenting Stress Index (APSI) was developed by Silva, L. M. T., & Schalock, M. (2012). It is designed to measure Parenting Stress. The scale is intended for use with Parents of children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 13 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Core Social Disability, Difficult-to-Manage Behavior, Physical Issues.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Core Social Disability | 1,2,11,12,13 | 5 |
| Difficult-to-Manage Behavior | 3,4,5,6 | 4 |
| Physical Issues | 7,8,9,10 | 4 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not stressful, 1 = Sometimes creates stress, 2 = Often creates stress, 3 = Very stressful on a daily basis, 5 = So stressful sometimes we feel we can’t cope.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 65. Interpretation guidelines:
- Mild Stress: 0 – 19
- Moderate Stress: 20 – 39
- Severe Stress: 40 – 65
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Acceptable internal consistency and test-retest stability.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.