title: Executive Functioning Mediates the Effect of Behavioral Problems on Depression in Mothers of Children With Developmental Disabilities.
abstract: The present investigation explored long-term relationships of behavioral symptoms of adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities with the mental health of their mothers. Fragile X premutation carrier mothers of an adolescent or adult child with fragile X syndrome (n = 95), and mothers of a grown child with autism (n = 213) were included. Behavioral symptoms at Time 1 were hypothesized to predict maternal depressive symptoms at Time 3 via maternal executive dysfunction at Time 2. Results provided support for the mediating pathway of executive dysfunction. Additionally, the association of behavioral symptoms with executive dysfunction differed across the two groups, suggesting that premutation carriers may be more susceptible to caregiving stress due to their genotype.
authors.affiliation: Wai Chan, Leann E. Smith, Jan S. Greenberg, Jinkuk Hong, and Marsha R. Mailick, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Waisman Center.
authors.forename: Wai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Wai Chan, Leann E. Smith, Jan S. Greenberg, Jinkuk Hong, and Marsha R. Mailick, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Waisman Center.
authors.forename: Leann E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Wai Chan, Leann E. Smith, Jan S. Greenberg, Jinkuk Hong, and Marsha R. Mailick, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Waisman Center.
authors.forename: Jan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.affiliation: Wai Chan, Leann E. Smith, Jan S. Greenberg, Jinkuk Hong, and Marsha R. Mailick, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Waisman Center.
authors.forename: Jinkuk
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Wai Chan, Leann E. Smith, Jan S. Greenberg, Jinkuk Hong, and Marsha R. Mailick, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Waisman Center.
authors.forename: Marsha R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mailick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: autism; behavioral problems; depressive symptoms; executive functioning; fragile X syndrome