title: Maternal depressive symptoms following autism spectrum diagnosis.
abstract: The current study examined depressive symptoms, concerning the week following autism spectrum diagnosis and an average of 1.4 years later, in mothers (n = 75) of young children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Over three-quarters of mothers (78.7%) provided retrospective reports of clinically significant depressive symptoms regarding the week following their child's ASD diagnosis, with some 37.3% continuing to report clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms at follow-up. Depressive symptoms immediately following diagnosis were not related to initial global characteristics of child functioning, but were related to reported child problem behaviors and financial barriers at follow-up. Results of this study underscore the importance of attention to caregiver distress and depression within models of autism detection and intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Special Education, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center/Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Julie Lounds
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Zachary E
authors.initials: ZE
authors.lastname: Warren
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics; D016896:Treatment Outcome