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

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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.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG08768, Mailick), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U54 HD090256, Chang), and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (F31 DC018716, Lorang). The authors would especially like to thank the participating families. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Institutes of Health.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01 AG08768, Mailick), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U54 HD090256, Chang), and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (F31 DC018716, Lorang). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA

    Emily Lorang, Jinkuk Hong, Jieun Song, Leann Smith DaWalt & Marsha Mailick

  2. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Goodnight Hall, 1975 Willow Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Emily Lorang

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Contributions

EL, LSD, and MM contributed to the study conception and design. MM is the Principal Investigator of the funding that supported this research. EL and JH completed the material preparation and EL, JH, and JS performed the analyses. EL wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all others provided feedback on prior versions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Emily Lorang.

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All procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional review board, and the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.

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Lorang, E., Hong, J., Song, J. et al. Verbal Ability, Behavior Problems, and Mother–Child Relationship Quality in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 52, 2463–2478 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05133-2

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