Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience a complex range of social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties that present significant, ongoing concerns for parents. A well-accepted sequel of children's ASD is increased parenting stress. Despite consistent evidence demonstrating significant ongoing associations between behavioural difficulties among children with ASD and parenting stress, few studies have examined potential underlying processes that link children’s behaviour problems to parenting stress. Several longitudinal studies have demonstrated a bidirectional relationship between child behaviour problems and parenting stress and well-being. However, over and above the caregiving demands placed on parents of children with ASD, little is known about parenting behaviours of parents of children with ASD, let alone whether they are impacted by parenting stress. The first Study of the proposed project will examine the mediating role of mothers' cognitions regarding their parenting and mothers’ executive function abilities between child behaviour problems and parenting stress. The second will investigate the relations between parental stress, parenting negativity, and parent-child interaction among mothers of children with ASD in comparison to mothers of typically developing children. In addition, it will examine whether child behaviour problems moderate these relations; and the link between parenting stress and parental involvement among mothers of children with ASD