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285948
Parenting stress and depression in diverse families with a child newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Objective: To measure parenting stress and depression among diverse families of children newly diagnosed with ASD.
Methods: Families from an urban inner-city hospital were recruited within a month of their child's diagnosis with ASD to partake in a larger study. 116 parents completed the Parenting Stress Index short form (PSI), the QIDS (Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology), and answered questions regarding demographics and housing stability.
Results: 54% of the sample was non-US born, 71% received public insurance and 20% reported that they were in unstable housing. Immediately after diagnosis, 16% of interviewed parents reported clinically significant levels of parenting stress (PSI &ge 90%ile) and 58% exhibited symptoms of depression (QIDS &ge 5). In univariate logistic regression, parents of children with lower adaptive functioning, based on ABAS composite scores, were significantly more likely to be depressed (p < 0.05); ABAS scores were not significantly associated with increased likelihood of clinically significant levels of parenting stress.
Conclusion: In a diverse low-income immigrant population, the incidence of parenting stress and depression in families of children newly diagnosed with ASD is high. Supporting diverse low-income minority families around an ASD diagnosis requires a multi-faceted service and support approach; especially for families with lower functioning children.
Learning Objectives:
Describe a unique diverse cohort of families with a child newly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Assess parenting stress and depression in diverse families immediately after a new diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Evaluate the influence of ABAS composite scores on parenting stress and depression
Keywords: Children With Special Needs, Depression
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As an Instructor of Pediatrics and Research Coordinator at Boston Medical Center, I have seven years of experience designing and managing research studies with low income and minority subjects. The data in this abstract come from the following research study that I coordinate: Use of Family Navigators in Families with Children Newly Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.