Abstract
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show increased levels of parenting stress, but only one study has examined this association before a diagnostic evaluation. We conducted a cross-sectional study of parenting stress in 317 low SES parents with children at-risk for ASD before a diagnostic evaluation. Multiple regression modeling evaluated the associations between parenting stress and parent and child factors. Parenting stress was negatively associated with social support and positively associated with active avoidance coping and parental worry. However, parenting stress was not associated with the child’s ASD symptom severity or adaptive functioning, except for self-direction. Findings suggest parenting stress among parents of children at risk of ASD should be assessed prior to diagnosis.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the participating families, without whom this study would not have been possible. We would also like to acknowledge the family navigators, study coordinators, and research staff who played a critical role in study implementation: Manju Abraham, Jenny Acevedo, Marisol Credle, Yaminette Diaz-Linhart, Sonia Erlich, Mitsouka Exantus, Ivys Fernandez-Pastrana, Plyce Fuchu, Julianna Gardener, Cynthia Guillen, Ashly Marte, Nadia Martinez, Nicole Melita and Samia Omer.
Funding
This study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH104355), NIMH’s national ASD Pediatric Early Detections, Engagement, and Service (PEDS) Network. It was conducted in collaboration with the Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Research Network (DBPNet). DBPNet is supported by cooperative agreement UA3MC20218 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Fellowship funding came from a HRSA Institutional Training Grant (T32HS10038). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. None of funders were involved in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
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Voliovitch, Y., Leventhal, J.M., Fenick, A.M. et al. Parenting Stress and its Associated Components Prior to an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Diagnostic Evaluation. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 3432–3442 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04804-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04804-w