en Health Education and Promotion پژوهشي Research Article <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Tahoma;"><span style="line-height:normal"><b><span lang="FR"><span style="color:black">Background and Objective: </span></span></b><span lang="FR">Mothers of children with autism often experience high parenting stress, negatively impacting marital quality. Self-compassion may buffer stress and influence marital well-being. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between self-compassion and parenting stress in these mothers, further investigating the mediating role of positive thinking in the association of self-compassion and stress with marital quality<span style="color:black">.</span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:normal"><b><span lang="FR">Materials and Methods: </span></b><span lang="FR">A correlational research design employing path analysis was utilized. The study population consisted of all mothers of children with autism living in Ahvaz in 2024. A total of 122 mothers were selected via the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using questionnaires assessing quality of life, self-compassion, parenting stress, and positive thinking. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson&#39;s correlation coefficient and path analysis</span> <span lang="FR"><span style="font-family:Optima"></span></span></span><br> <span style="line-height:normal"><b><span lang="FR">Results:</span></b><span lang="FR"> The results of the final path model demonstrated that self-compassion had significant positive direct effects on both marital quality and positive thinking in mothers of children with autism. Parenting stress, while not directly impacting marital quality, negatively influenced positive thinking. Positive thinking, in turn, strongly predicted marital quality. Furthermore, both self-compassion and parenting stress indirectly affected marital quality through the mediating role of positive thinking.</span></span><br> <span style="line-height:normal"><b><span lang="FR">Conclusion:</span></b><span lang="FR"> This study demonstrates the interconnectedness of self-compassion, parenting stress, positive thinking, and marital quality in mothers, highlighting the protective role of self-compassion and the detrimental impact of parenting stress on positive thinking. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the crucial role of positive thinking in marital relationships, evidenced by its direct effect on marital quality and its mediation of the effects of both self-compassion and parenting stress.</span></span></span></span></p> Autistic disorder, Marital quality, Parenting, Self-compassion, Stress 159 165 http://ajnpp.umsha.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1010-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Masoumeh Mahmoudi masomdahda@gmail.com 10031947532846008034 10031947532846008034 No Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran Saeed Bakhtiarpour bakhtiyarpours@gmail.com 10031947532846008035 10031947532846008035 Yes Department of Psychology, Ahv.C., Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran