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. 2022 Jun;52(6):2463-2478.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05133-2. Epub 2021 Jun 15.

Verbal Ability, Behavior Problems, and Mother-Child Relationship Quality in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Emily Lorang  1   2 , Jinkuk Hong  3 , Jieun Song  3 , Leann Smith DaWalt  3 , Marsha Mailick  3
Affiliations

Verbal Ability, Behavior Problems, and Mother-Child Relationship Quality in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Emily Lorang et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

This study examined differences in mother-child relationship quality and parent-rated child behavior problems based on child verbal status (i.e., minimally verbal versus verbal) in mothers and their adolescent and adult children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 219 dyads; child Mage = 25.38 years, SD = 10.22). Relationship quality was assessed via parent-reported maternal burden and mother-child closeness, and coded speech samples ascertaining maternal critical and positive remarks regarding the child. Groups did not differ in relationship quality. The verbal group was more likely to display disruptive and socially inappropriate behaviors, but otherwise the groups did not differ in behavior problems. Verbal status moderated the relationship between behavior problems and negative (maternal burden, critical remarks) but not positive (mother-child closeness, positive remarks) aspects of relationship quality.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Behavior problems; Minimally verbal; Parent–child relationships.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Predicted marginal means plotted for maternal burden by group at the mean level of general maladaptive scores and at one standard deviation above and below the mean. The dashed vertical line represents the SIB-R clinical cutoff score.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Predicted marginal means plotted for maternal critical remarks by group at the mean level of general maladaptive scores and at one standard deviation above and below the mean. The dashed vertical line represents the SIB-R clinical cutoff score.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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