Psychopathological symptoms in parents and siblings of people on the autism spectrum: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Quality of Life in Hungarian Parents of Autistic Individuals

PURPOSE

Parents of autistic individuals have been known to have a lower overall quality of life (QQL) than those of typically developing children. We present the first Hungarian large-sample study whose objective was to explore the differences in QOL between parents of autistic individuals (AS) and those of neurotypical (NT) persons.

METHODS

Based on the ABCX model we developed a questionnaire comprising standardized scales to characterize the life of parents involved. Our data came from parents of 842 individuals (ASD = 521, NT = 321) between 0 and 49 years. Battery deployed standardized instruments to examine quality of life (WHO-QQL BREF and Quality of Life in Autism questionnaire, QOLA). We assessed the families' socio-economic/demographic characteristics, parents' psychological well-being, the autistic/neurotypical individuals' characteristics, and the interventions.

RESULTS

Our data showed significantly lower QOL in parents of autistic individuals in all domains of questionnaires. We analyzed 20 relevant factors to uncover the predictors of parental QOL. We confirmed the existence of most but not all predictors present in earlier literature and identified intervention-related predictors.

CONCLUSION

Our study confirms the importance of supporting parents in their role, and of providing health and social supports that focus on quality of life, in addition to child care.

Parental Distress and Parenting Behavior in Families of Preschool Children with and Without ASD: Spillover and Buffering

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report increased distress relative to parents of children with neurotypical development. Parent well-being is generally considered a key determinant of parenting behavior, thus increased distress may spill over into less optimal parenting in families of children with ASD. However, evidence is mixed regarding the degree to which parenting is actually compromised in this population, suggesting the possibility of buffering, wherein the parenting of children with ASD may be robust against spillover from increased parental distress. The current study tested competing spillover and buffering models with regard to relations among child ASD status, parental distress, and parenting behavior. Parents of preschoolers with (n = 73) and without (n = 55) ASD completed self-report measures of parenting stress, depressive symptoms, and emotion dysregulation, as well as of positive and negative parenting behaviors. Families of preschoolers with ASD reported higher distress and negative parenting, and lower positive parenting than did their counterparts. Findings supported the spillover model for negative parenting such that increased parental distress accounted for status-group differences in negative parenting. In contrast, potential buffering was observed for positive parenting in that an inverse association between distress and parenting was observed for parents of children with neurotypical development only. Findings highlight the potential benefit of intervention to reduce parental distress in families of children with ASD, but also suggest some existing ability of these families to buffer certain parenting behaviors from deleterious effects of parent distress.

Moderating effects of general self-efficacy on courtesy stigma and anxiety and depressive symptoms of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Background

Stigma, anxiety and depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may have a detrimental impact on the rehabilitation and treatment of children with ASD, ultimately leading to more behavioral issues and higher rates of disability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the association between general self-efficacy, courtesy stigma, and anxiety and depressive symptoms, and to further discuss whether general self-efficacy moderated the association between courtesy stigma and anxiety and depressive symptoms in parents of children with ASD.

Methods

A total of 409 parents of children with ASD from Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, Eastern China participated in a cross-sectional survey. A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic characteristics, courtesy stigma, general self-efficacy, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to assess the associations of courtesy stigma, general self-efficacy and courtesy stigma × general self-efficacy interaction with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Simple slope analysis was used to visualize the interaction.

Results

The courtesy stigma of parents of children with ASD was positively correlated with anxiety (B = 0.374, P < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (B = 0.366, P < 0.001). General self-efficacy was negatively correlated with anxiety (B = -0.200, P < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (B = -0.210, P < 0.001). The association between courtesy stigma and anxiety symptoms was different in the high (1 standard deviation (SD) above the mean, b = 0.258, standard error (SE) = 0.056, t = 4.567, P < 0.001) and low (1 SD below the mean, b = 0.470, SE = 0.053, t = 8.870, P < 0.001) groups of general self-efficacy. In addition, the association between courtesy stigma and depressive symptoms was also different in the high (1 SD above the mean, b = 0.241, SE = 0.056, t = 4.268, P < 0.001) and low (1 SD below the mean, b = 0.469, SE = 0.053, t = 8.844, P < 0.001) groups of general self-efficacy.

Conclusions

General self-efficacy could moderate the impact of courtesy stigma on anxiety and depressive symptoms. Therefore, among parents of children with ASD who experienced high courtesy stigma, enhancing general self-efficacy could be an effective strategy to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in this population.

Relationships between Anxiety, Repetitive Behavior and Parenting Stress: A Comparative Study between Individuals with Autism from Spain and Colombia

The present study analyzed the association between anxiety, repetitive behavior and parental stress in individuals with autism from Spain (n = 60, mean age = 8.52, SD = 4.41) and Colombia (n = 58, mean age = 10.29, SD = 4.98). Similarly, differences in anxiety, repetitive behavior and parental stress between both countries were analyzed. Outcomes revealed a strong relationship between anxiety and repetitive behavior in both populations. Furthermore, moderate positive associations were observed between anxiety, repetitive behavior and parental stress in the Spanish sample. However, parental stress was found to be moderately and negatively related with anxiety and repetitive behavior in the Colombian sample. Finally, no differences were found in anxiety and repetitive behavior between countries, but differences did emerge for parental stress which was found to be higher in the Colombian sample. In conclusion, differences in parental stress may be due to regional differences in socio-health resources, socio-economics, parenting styles, etc.

Prevalence of mental disorders among family members of individuals on the autism spectrum: systematic review and meta-analysis

Parenting a child on the autism spectrum presents particular challenges that can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and depression among family members. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of mental disorders in first-degree relatives of individuals on the autism spectrum. This article adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines, including studies indexed in PubMed/Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), and SciELO. Nineteen articles met eligibility criteria for the systematic review. Using a random-effects model (N = 93,876), we found a pooled prevalence of affective disorders of 13% in mothers of people on the autism spectrum (95% CI 7-21%; I2 = 99%, p < 0.01). Additionally, another random-effects model pointed out that first-degree relatives of people on the autism spectrum (N = 93,263) were more likely to present affective disorders than relatives of people with neurotypical development (N = 152,455) (pooled OR: 2.17; 95% CI 1.81-2.61). Careful assessment for mental disorders in parents and siblings of individuals on the autism spectrum is crucial to ensure appropriate treatment for these family members. This approach can also contribute to optimizing care for the individuals on the autism spectrum.

Parental quality of life, child adjustment and adult attachment in parents of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BACKGROUND

Parents of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience a lower quality of life (QoL) than parents of offspring with typical development. However, factors associated with parental QoL are not yet fully understood.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between parental QoL, child adjustment and adult attachment among parents of children and adolescents with ASD.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

One hundred and eighty-eight parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD completed a group of self-report questionnaires on sociodemographic variables, QoL (i.e., overall QoL and ASD symptoms-related parental QoL), child adjustment (i.e., offspring's total problems and prosocial behaviors) and adult attachment.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Structural equation modeling revealed that the overall parental QoL was negatively related to children's total problems and positively associated with prosocial behaviors, as well as with higher levels of secure attachment and lower levels of fearful attachment styles. Additionally, ASD symptoms-related parental QoL was negatively associated with the offspring's total problems.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This suggests that child characteristics may interact with parental characteristics to either enhance or compromise the QoL of parents of children and adolescents with ASD. Implications of these findings for promoting parental QoL are discussed.

functional outcome in late adolescence/early adulthood of patients with autism spectrum disorder and its relationships with parental burnout and depression: A preliminary multi-center, cross-sectional study

The aim of this study is to determine the functioning of adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) diagnosed in childhood and depression and burnout levels among their parents. A total of 261 adults with ASDs and their parents were recruited for the study. Both parents completed the Beck Depression and Maslach Burnout Inventories and reported the functioning of their adult offspring with ASDs. Only 5.4 % of our sample reported "good" or "very good" outcomes. The most common psychiatric comorbidities were intellectual disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Maternal burnout and depression scores were significantly elevated compared to those of fathers. There is an undeniable urgent need for more research to identify the needs of adults and families suffering from ASD. Modifications for those with ASD may have to be made for support in workplaces, achieving driving licenses, using public transportation and attendance at tertiary education.