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Determinants of Stress in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder are known to experience more stress than parents of children with any other conditions. The current study describes the parental stress of 118 fathers and 118 mothers at the onset of their children’s Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program. The objectives of the study were to compare and analyze each parent’s stress and to identify factors that might predict their stress. Results indicated that fathers reported higher levels of stress than mothers. Correlations indicated that the stress levels of both parents were associated with their child’s age, intellectual quotient, severity of autistic symptoms, and adaptive behaviors. Paternal stress, but not maternal stress, was predicted by severity of autistic symptoms and child’s gender. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for services and early interventions.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the financial support that we received during this research project. This project is part of a larger research project, financed by the Montérégie Health Agency and the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services. We want to thank the Centre de réadaptation en déficience intellectuelle et en troubles envahissant du développement Montérégie-Est, Mme Sylvie Gladu, Johanne Gauthier, M. Gilles Lemaire, Mme Caroline Bouffard, Mme Annick LeBeau and Mme Johanne Messier and we extend our gratitude to the children, parents, educators and therapists who participated in this study. We also want to thank Mme Gisela Regli, Mme Kelly Kerr et Mme Catherine Mello for their work on traduction and revision of the article. With regard to competing interests, Amélie Terroux declare to be employees of the Centre de réadaptation déficience intellectuelle et en troubles envahissant du développement Montérégie-Est. Céline Mercier and Claudel Parent-Boursier were under contract for the same agency for the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de réadaptation en déficience intellectuelle et troubles envahissants du développement de la Montérégie-Est, Quebec, Canada

    Amélie Terroux

  2. Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Mélina Rivard & Claudel Parent-Boursier

  3. Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Céline Mercier

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  1. Mélina Rivard
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  2. Amélie Terroux
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  3. Claudel Parent-Boursier
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  4. Céline Mercier
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Correspondence to Mélina Rivard.

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Rivard, M., Terroux, A., Parent-Boursier, C. et al. Determinants of Stress in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 1609–1620 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-2028-z

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