Elevated salivary cortisol levels have been documented in individuals who engage in self-injurious behavior (SIB), indicating acute physiological stress. Less is known about the chronicity of stress and SIB. We analyzed the relationship between parent ratings of problem behavior and hair cortisol concentrations (an index of chronic adrenocortical…

Flexibility is often associated with resilience from adversity. Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk of stress and trauma yet have inherent difficulties with flexibility, including rigid behaviors, routines, "insistence on sameness," and lack of social reciprocity. This review highlights literature of physiological and…

Caregivers of children with ASD often find benefits associated with their caregiving role, and benefit finding predicts lower distress. Child problematic behaviours (CPB), which positively predict caregivers' distress, are perceived to be being less problematic, or more manageable, by caregivers who find benefits. Benefit finding therefore might…

Assessing parenting stress in parents of children with autism has crucial clinical implications because increased parental stress is associated with psychological disorders and personal distress, which can result in worse child-parent relationships. We examined the psychometric properties of a new index for assessing parenting stressors--the…

Disruptive behavior disorders were assessed in 160 youth aged 13 years, with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, n = 48), intellectual disability (ID, n = 28), or typical development (TD, n = 84). Mothers' reported collateral effects on their psychological adjustment were related to both youth disability status and clinical level behavior disorders.…

Mental distress is highly prevalent in university students, and autistic traits can hinder academic education. The substantial lifestyle changes experienced by new university students can induce mood and anxiety dysfunctions and subsequent suicide-related behaviors. The aims of this study were to evaluate the detectability of suicidal ideation…

Little previous research has elucidated the everyday experiences of autistic girls or their families. This study used qualitative in-depth interviews to explore mothers' experiences of the diagnosis, presentation and impact of caring for a daughter with autism. Nineteen women with autistic daughters (aged between 7 and 18) participated in the…

Background: Emotion regulation difficulties have been associated with depression and anxiety in typically developing individuals. However, until recently, the impact of emotion regulation difficulties for adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has received little attention. We investigated emotion regulation difficulties…

Caring for a child that has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has implications for parents' social and emotional health and well-being. The following article presents the findings from a review of the literature to help elucidate some of the issues that these parents experience. The article begins by arguing that early intervention is the key to…

Objectives: Caring for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be gratifying as well as stressful. Professional staff employed as caregivers often report compromised mental and physical wellbeing due to the stressful nature of working with clients who exhibit aggressive and destructive behaviors.…

Increasing numbers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are enrolling in post-secondary academic institutions. However, research indicates that post-secondary students with ASD are struggling more than their typically developing peers, with high rates of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and an increased incidence of dropping-out…

The self-portrayals of 17 young persons with autism spectrum disorder reveal the challenges encountered by them, including study problems, inter-personal relationships, being bullied by classmates at school, discrimination by the public in general and teachers, social workers, and peers in particular, obstacles to post-secondary education,…

The purpose of this study was to explore the interrelationships among the effects of loneliness, stress and self-efficacy on the life satisfaction of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their neuro-typically developed peers. The participants (N = 104), all male, were between 15 and 27 years of age. Half of them were diagnosed having…

The present study investigated the ability of young children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to identify emotion in photographs as well as their response to a distress event. Since communication is a core aspect of the disability, alternate methods of assessment were employed in order to investigate emotion understanding and…

This study compared sibling adjustment and relationships in siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD-Sibs; n = 69) and siblings of children with typical development (TD-Sibs; n = 93). ASD-Sibs and TD-Sibs demonstrated similar emotional/behavioral adjustment. Older male ASD-Sibs were at increased risk for difficulties. Sibling…