Autistic traits in couple dyads as a predictor of anxiety spectrum symptoms.
Parents of kids with ASD who show more autistic traits are at heightened risk for anxiety disorders themselves—screen and support them too.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Yu-Pow and team gave online surveys to couples who have a child with autism.
They asked each parent to fill out the Autism-Spectrum Quotient about themselves and several anxiety scales.
Then they looked to see if higher autistic traits in a parent predicted stronger anxiety symptoms.
What they found
Parents who scored high on autistic traits were far more likely to report clinical levels of anxiety.
The link was strongest for social phobia and PTSD symptoms in both mothers and fathers.
In short, when parents themselves show more ASD features, their own anxiety risk jumps.
How this fits with other research
Spanoudis et al. (2011) found that almost half of adults with Asperger’s fear being laughed at; Yu-Pow shows the worry does not stop with the diagnosed person—it spills over to parents who share subtle traits.
Soderstrom et al. (2002) showed adults with Asperger’s score high on harm avoidance; Yu-Pow extends that idea by showing even sub-threshold autistic traits in parents carry anxiety risk.
Weiss et al. (2001) linked Asperger adults’ paranoia to private self-consciousness; Yu-Pow widens the lens, showing broader anxiety spectrum problems in parents with ASD traits.
Why it matters
You already screen the child for autism; now screen the parents too. A quick AQ and an anxiety checklist can flag parents who may need support or referral. When parents feel calmer, family stress drops and your behavior plans work better.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The link between parental autistic tendency and anxiety symptoms was studied in 491 Taiwanese couples raising biological children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Parental autistic tendency as measured by Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) was associated with anxiety symptoms across all domains. Large effect sizes were found in social phobia and post traumatic stress disorders for both parents, and in general anxiety disorder and agoraphobia for mothers. These associations were irrespective of child's autistic tendency, spouse's AQ scores and the couples' compatibility in their autistic tendency. Perceived family support and parental education moderated the link but not child's autistic severity. Research and clinical implications regarding psychiatric vulnerability of parents of children with ASD were drawn and discussed.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2151-5