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A Multi-Level Investigation of the Association between Sensory Features in Boys and Adolescents with ASD and Their Mothers’ Anxiety and Depression

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Abstract

The association between boys’ Sensory Features (SF) and their mothers’ anxiety and depression was investigated in two groups of boys with ASD (M age Gp 1 = 7.5 yr.; M age Gp 2 = 14.3 yr). Mothers completed the Sensory Profile (SP) on their sons, and the GAD7 and PHQ9 on themselves. Results indicated significant associations between mothers’ GAD7 scores and the boys’ SP quadrant scores (global level), between GAD7 scores and Auditory, Visual and Touch Processing Domains (subscale level), and between boys’ specific SF-related Visual and Touch behaviours and specific symptoms of mothers’ GAD7 and PHQ9 scores (item level). Implications for clinical interventions with parents of these children are described.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

    Vicki Bitsika

  2. Brain-Behaviour Research Group, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia

    Christopher F. Sharpley

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK

    Richard Mills

Authors
  1. Vicki Bitsika
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  2. Christopher F. Sharpley
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  3. Richard Mills
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher F. Sharpley.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all participants, as described in the text.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Bitsika, V., Sharpley, C.F. & Mills, R. A Multi-Level Investigation of the Association between Sensory Features in Boys and Adolescents with ASD and Their Mothers’ Anxiety and Depression. J Dev Phys Disabil 29, 895–909 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-017-9561-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-017-9561-1

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