The Effect of Family Functioning on Special Needs Children�s Social-Emotional Abilities Mediated by Parental Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Social-emotional ability is one aspect of child development that is often disrupted in children with special needs. They have the same social-emotional needs as typical children of their age. However, their limitations make more difficult for them to convey and express their needs optimally. This research was conducted to investigate how family functioning affects the development of social-emotional abilities through parental self-efficacy. This study involved 279 participants, who were parents of children with special needs at the elementary school level. The results were processed using the structural equation model in the R program. The research model fit was adequate (? (1653) = 2536.484, RMSEA = 0.046 [90% CI 0.048, 0.055], SRMR = 0.078). Family functioning had a significant effect on parental self-efficacy LoS 0.05 (0.722), but not as a mediator. Parental self-efficacy did not significantly influence the relationship between family functioning and social-emotional abilities in children with special needs. These results indicate another relationship between the variables studied which should be examined further.