title: Maladaptive behaviors of children with autism: parent support, stress, and coping.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The estimated prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one in 88. Autism Spectrum Disorders are nearly five times more common among boys than girls. Children with autism may develop a variety of socially unacceptable maladaptive behaviors beyond the defining symptoms of the spectrum disorder.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  It is necessary to conduct research to examine maladaptive behaviors of children with autism, family supports, parental stress, and parental coping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data used were collected during an earlier descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study. Using the Double ABCX Model of family behavior as the framework, this study evaluated parents' views of the adaptive behaviors of their children diagnosed with autism using the networks of support for their family, parental stress, and parental coping patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicate an association between increased Internalizing maladaptive behaviors and increased parental stress (r = .547, p = .000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that parents of children with autism report that their children have clinically significant maladaptive behaviors. Healthcare providers could use results from this study to provide appropriate intervention for maladaptive behaviors to support children with autism and their families.
authors.affiliation: University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688, USA. heatherhall@usouthal.edu
authors.forename: Heather R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J Carolyn
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Graff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002657:Child Development; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology