title: Proband Mental Health Difficulties and Parental Stress Predict Mental Health in Toddlers at High-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
abstract: Family-related predictors of mental health problems were investigated among 30 toddlers at familial high-risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 28 controls followed from age 2- to 3-years. Parents completed the self-report Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and the parent-report Behavior Assessment System for Children. High-risk toddlers were assessed for ASD at 3-years. Parent stress and proband mental health difficulties predicted concurrent toddler mental health difficulties at 2-years, but only baseline proband internalising problems continued to predict toddler internalising problems at 3-years; high-risk status did not confer additional risk. Baseline toddler mental health difficulties robustly predicted later difficulties, while high-risk status and diagnostic outcome conferred no additional risk. A family systems perspective may be useful for understanding toddler mental health difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crea
authors.affiliation: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dissanayake
authors.affiliation: Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia. k.hudry@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kristelle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hudry
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000639:trends; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; Family environment; High-risk siblings; Mental health; Parent stress