title: Parental Stress in Families of Children With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities.
abstract: The level of parental stress in families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities and its association with child comorbid symptoms was studied in an ethnically diverse population, in a cross-sectional study with structured interview. The sample included 50 families of children with autism and 50 families of children with other developmental disabilities, matched by age/gender. Interview included Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Gastrointestinal Questionnaire, Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire, and Aberrant Behavior Checklist. In this ethnically diverse sample, parental stress was significantly higher for the autism group and for non-Hispanic and US-born mothers. In both study groups, parental stress was related to child irritability. Parental stress was also related to gastrointestinal problems in the autism group and to sleep difficulties in the developmental disabilities group. Targeting child irritability may be particularly important in reducing parental stress for families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA rvalicenti@hotmail.com.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Valicenti-McDermott
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors: Katharine
authors: K
authors: Lawson
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors: Kathryn
authors: K
authors: Hottinger
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors: Rosa
authors: R
authors: Seijo
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors: Merryl
authors: M
authors: Schechtman
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Shulman
authors: Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, R. F. Kennedy Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors: Shlomo
authors: S
authors: Shinnar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: autism spectrum disorder; children; developmental disabilities; irritability; parental stress