Parental expectations and psychological adjustment of children with intellectual disabilities: differential mediating effects of parental involvement

Objectives: Although parental expectations are associated with developmental outcomes among children with disabilities, their influence on psychological adjustment and underlying mechanisms remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between parental expectations and the psychological adjustment of children with intellectual disabilities (ID), and to investigate the differential mediating roles of distinct forms of parental involvement. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 255 parents of children with ID. Parents completed standardized questionnaires measuring parental expectations, parental involvement and children’s psychological adjustment. Structural equation modeling with bootstrapping was used to test the proposed mediation model. Results: Parental expectations were positively associated with children’s prosocial behavior, while their link with problem behavior operated mainly through parental involvement. Home–school communication and school involvement mediated the relationship with problem behavior in opposite directions. For prosocial behavior, home–school communication and home involvement were associated with more adaptive outcomes, whereas school involvement was linked to more problem behaviors and lower prosocial behavior. Conclusions: Parental expectations function as a double-edged factor in the psychological adjustment of children with ID, with their effects depending on how they are enacted through different forms of parental involvement. Balanced, collaborative and context-sensitive involvement is essential for promoting adaptive outcomes.