title: What worries parents of a child with Autism? Evidence from a biomarker for chronic stress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported correlations between various aspects of the behaviour and symptomatology of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their parents' self-reports of stress via standardised scales.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To extend that literature, a physiological index of parental chronic stress was used instead of their self-reports-dysregulation of the Diurnal Rhythm (DR) of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 149 parents of a child with ASD provided salivary cortisol at the predicted time of daily maximum cortisol concentration and at a time of daily lower concentration. Adherence to the predicted DR was assessed via a dichotomous (present/not-present) as well as a continuous measure, and MANOVA and linear regression were used to detect significant associations between ASD-related variables in their children and parents' DR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Identified only a single significant correlate of DR dysregulation in both statistical procedures-Self-Injurious Behaviour (SIB) exhibited by their child and observed by the parents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings extend previous data using self-report indices of parental stress and should be included in parent-support settings to alert parents to the long-term health effects of the stress they experience in regard to their child's SIB.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bond University, Robina, Queensland 4229, Australia. Electronic address: vbitsika@bond.edu.au.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bitsika
authors.affiliation: Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, 2351, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: csharpl3@une.edu.au.
authors.forename: Christopher F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sharpley
authors.affiliation: Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, 2351, Australia. Electronic address: nandroni@une.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nicholas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Andronicos
authors.affiliation: Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, 2351, Australia. Electronic address: lagnew2@une.edu.au.
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Agnew
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D057566:Self Report; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Autism; Cortisol; Dysregulation; Parental stress; Self-injurious behaviour