Background <p>Parents of children with autism often face significant challenges in the parenting process. Self-compassion and self-efficacy serve as crucial psychological resources that contribute to their mental well-being. While existing research has focused on self-compassion and self-efficacy, the psychological mechanisms through which self-compassion influences self-efficacy in parents of children with autism remain to be further explored. This study aims to investigate the relationship between self-compassion and self-efficacy among parents of autistic children, examine the mediating role of trust in this relationship, and assess the moderating effect of social support on the pathway from self-compassion to trust.</p> Methods <p>In this study, 400 parents of children with ASD from several rehabilitation institutions for autistic children were recruited in Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces in mainland China. Data were collected using a questionnaire method that included the Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form, the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale, the General Trust Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.</p> Results <p>(1) Self-compassion positively predicts self-efficacy in parents of children with ASD; (2) trust partially mediates the relationship between self-compassion and self-efficacy; and (3) social support moderates the relationship between self-compassion and trust.</p> Conclusion <p>This study advances understanding of the psychological mechanism underlying parental self-efficacy among parents of children with ASD by integrating self-compassion, trust, and social support within a unified framework. The findings suggest that self-compassion functions as an internal psychological resource that facilitates parents’ sense of efficacy by fostering a more trusting orientation, which helps them cope with parenting challenges more adaptively. Moreover, perceived social support plays a crucial contextual role by shaping the conditions under which self-compassion translates into trust, indicating that external support systems strengthen the effectiveness of self-compassion in the early stage of this psychological process. Together, these results highlight the interactive contribution of internal and external resources in promoting parental self-efficacy and underscore the importance of considering both psychological and social factors when developing interventions for parents of children with ASD.</p>