What worries parents of a child with Autism? Evidence from a biomarker for chronic stress

Title
What worries parents of a child with Autism? Evidence from a biomarker for chronic stress
Publication Date
2017
Author(s)
Bitsika, Vicki
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2518-6684
Email: vbitsik2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:vbitsik2
Sharpley, Christopher
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7922-4848
Email: csharpl3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:csharpl3
Andronicos, Nicholas
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5881-2296
Email: nandroni@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:nandroni
Agnew, Linda
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2803-0995
Email: lagnew2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:lagnew2
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1016/j.ridd.2017.02.003
UNE publication id
une:21755
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. Aims: 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 and Implications: 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.
Link
Citation
Research in Developmental Disabilities, v.62, p. 209-217
ISSN
1873-3379
0891-4222
Start page
209
End page
217

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