title: Behavior problems in adults with mental retardation and maternal well-being: examination of the direction of effects.
abstract: We examined the occurrence and stability of behavior problems over a 6-year period among 193 adults with mental retardation who lived with their mothers. At the beginning of the study period, almost 30% of the sample had clinically significant behavior problems and about 25% had no behavior problems. During the study period, group-level stability of behavior problems and individual-level change were observed. We tested the bidirectional relations between behavior problems and maternal well-being and found evidence of both directions of influence. Initial levels and changes over time in behavior problems predicted changes in maternal well-being, and initial levels and changes over time in maternal well-being predicted changes in behavior problems in the son or daughter.
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Boston, MA 02215l, USA. gorsmond@bu.edu
authors.forename: Gael I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Orsmond
authors.forename: Marsha Mailick
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Seltzer
authors.forename: Marty Wyngaarden
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Jinkuk
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003625:Data Collection; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*