title: Risk and protective factors for symptoms of anxiety and depression in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The severity of symptoms of anxiety and depression was evaluated in 102 parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and correlated with the severity of their child's behavioral symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Portuguese versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist were used to assess symptoms in the parents and in their children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depression was present in 26.7% of parents and anxiety in 33.7%. Severe behavioral symptoms in the child increased the likelihood of severe anxiety and depression symptoms in the parents by a factor of 35. If the child had severe behavioral symptoms and the father lived in the family home, the likelihood of severe symptoms of anxiety and depression in the parents was 95.2% lower.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of the father living in the family home acted as a buffer against parents' symptoms.
authors.affiliation: a Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory on Autism (LABIRINTO), BAHIANA School of Medicine and Public Health , Salvador , Bahia , Brazil , and.
authors.forename: Samuel Bezerra
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Machado Junior
authors.affiliation: a Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory on Autism (LABIRINTO), BAHIANA School of Medicine and Public Health , Salvador , Bahia , Brazil , and.
authors.forename: Meline Ivone Oliveira
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Celestino
authors.affiliation: a Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory on Autism (LABIRINTO), BAHIANA School of Medicine and Public Health , Salvador , Bahia , Brazil , and.
authors.forename: Juliane Penalva Costa
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: b Douglas Mental Health Institute, McGill University , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.affiliation: a Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory on Autism (LABIRINTO), BAHIANA School of Medicine and Public Health , Salvador , Bahia , Brazil , and.
authors.forename: Milena Pereira
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Pondé
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D065840:Protective Factors; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
keywords: Anxiety; autism; depression; parents