Children on the autism spectrum miss more school than their peers, but limited work has explored why this may be. This study aimed to document the frequency at which children on the autism spectrum miss half and full days of school and the reasons for these absences. Parents of 106 school-aged children on the autism spectrum completed online…

The protective effects of social support for caregiver mental health are well documented, however the differential impact of support providers (partner, child, family, siblings, friends, professionals) and types (perceived, received) remain unclear. Observational data from 21 independent studies, involving a pooled sample of 2273 parents,…

This study examined COVID-19-related distress among adults with autism spectrum disorder and its associations with demographic and mental health information. A sample of 275 adults (ages 18-35) in the United States, all capable of providing self-reports, was recruited from a large national registry. Adults completed online surveys of mental health…

Autistic adults commonly experience anxiety and depression. These mental health concerns are often tied to social experiences, such that mental well-being can be supported by social connection and deteriorated by loneliness. The mediating role of social and emotional loneliness (i.e. social isolation and lack of emotional attachment, respectively)…

Previous research has shown elevated levels of depressive symptoms in typically developing siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders. The current study investigates for associations between the depressive symptoms of school-aged typically developing siblings of children with autism and parental mental health, perceived social support as…

Cross-sectional research has demonstrated the overrepresentation of gender dysphoria in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder. However, the predictors and underlying mechanisms of this co-occurrence remain unclear. This follow-up study aimed to explore baseline (childhood/adolescence) predictors for the follow-up (adulthood)…

Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to have features of the broad autism phenotype and adverse mental health outcomes. The broad autism phenotype can contribute to poorer mental health; however, the mechanism behind this relationship remains uncertain. This study investigated both the predictors of mental health and…

This study investigated whether sleep problem severity in children with autism spectrum disorder was associated with maternal well-being. Mothers of 234 children reported on their mental health (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index-4-SF), health-related quality of life (HRQoL; Assessment of Quality of…

Although menarche and menstruation are perceived to be overwhelmingly negative events for developmentally-disabled women, women's health issues remain under-researched in autism. Here, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the experiences of post-menarcheal autistic (n = 123) and non-autistic (n = 114) respondents to a brief online survey.…

The associations between sons' challenging behaviour and mothers' anxiety and depression were investigated in four age-subgroups of boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their mothers (n = 49). Significant correlations were found only for the 6-yr-old boys' irritability and their mothers' anxiety (r = 0.808) and depression (r = 0.762), and for…

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and anxiety were measured in 233 school-age siblings of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and siblings of Typically Developing (TD) children in Greece. The aim of the study was to investigate for any association between siblings' HRQOL or anxiety and parental mental health, perceived social…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) impacts well-being across the lifespan. Individuals with ASD evidence differences in personality traits and self-concept clarity that are predictors of well-being in typically-developing individuals. The current research replicates a growing body of evidence demonstrating differences in well-being and personality…

This study investigated the relationships among caregiving strain, coping, and mental health among caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the mediational moderation of caregiver needs. One hundred and ninety-three caregivers of individuals with ASD completed an online survey. Results showed that maladaptive coping…

Purpose: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many problems in their marital lives. Autism is a developmental disorder, emerging during childhood that affects development across various domains. Studies suggest that autism prevalence rates are increasing, and research shows that parents of children with ASD frequently…

Data from an online survey of undergraduate students at 14 colleges and universities were used to estimate the association of autism with six physical and mental health outcomes, accounting for comorbidity with other disabilities (learning disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sensory impairment, mobility impairment, mental health…