Adjustment in mothers of children with Asperger syndrome: an application of the double ABCX model of family adjustment.
Stress load, demand pile-up, and coping style forecast how moms of kids with Asperger syndrome adjust — screen these three at intake.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hall et al. (2005) tested the Double ABCX model with moms of kids with Asperger syndrome. They asked how stress size, pile-up of demands, and coping style shape mom’s adjustment.
The team used surveys and statistics to see which parts of the model best predict well-being.
What they found
Stress severity, demand pile-up, and coping style all predicted maternal adjustment. The model fit well, giving clinicians a clear map of what to watch.
How this fits with other research
Koegel et al. (2014) and Sawyer et al. (2014) repeated the model with both moms and dads of mixed-ASD kids and got the same positive pattern. The model holds across genders and wider diagnoses.
Dixon (2014) tracked moms for seven years and showed cognitive reframing stays helpful while disengagement hurts over time. The 2005 snapshot matches the long-term story.
Williams et al. (2010) looked at preschool moms and found higher stress but no extra sibling problems. Their negative direction seems to clash with I et al.’s positive one, yet the difference is child age and study focus: Nicole measured raw stress levels, while I et al. tested which factors predict better adjustment within the group.
Why it matters
You can use the Double ABCX map at intake. Ask about stress size, how many demands pile up, and how mom copes. Flag moms who use lots of disengagement or distraction and teach cognitive reframing instead. This quick screen tells you where support is needed first.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The present study examined the applicability of the double ABCX model of family adjustment in explaining maternal adjustment to caring for a child diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Forty-seven mothers completed questionnaires at a university clinic while their children were participating in an anxiety intervention. The children were aged between 10 and 12 years. Results of correlations showed that each of the model components was related to one or more domains of maternal adjustment in the direction predicted, with the exception of problem-focused coping. Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that, after controlling for the effects of relevant demographics, stressor severity, pile-up of demands and coping were related to adjustment. Findings indicate the utility of the double ABCX model in guiding research into parental adjustment when caring for a child with Asperger syndrome. Limitations of the study and clinical implications are discussed.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2005 · doi:10.1177/1362361305049033