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Objective: The premutation of the FMR1 gene (defined as between 55 and 200 CGG repeats) is estimated to affect 1 in 149 females and 1 in 643 males, and some people who carry the FMR1 premutation display signs of impairment. Method: This study focuses on 82 premutation carrier mothers (M age = 51.4 years; SD = 7.7) of adolescent and adult children with fragile X syndrome (FXS). A Gene X Environment interaction approach examined the ways in which the experience of negative life events interacts with genetic vulnerability to predict depressive symptoms, anxiety, and daily cortisol levels. Results: The associations of Ufe events with all 3 dependent measures were associated with CGG repeat length but in a curvilinear manner. Mothers with midsize CGG repeats who experienced above-average numbers of negative life events in the previous year had more depressive symptoms and anxiety and had a blunted cortisol awakening response, as compared with those with higher or lower repeat lengths. However, mothers with midsize CGG repeats who experienced below-average numbers of negative life events in the previous year had the lowest levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety, and they exhibited the typical cortisol response to awakening, meeting the criteria for differential susceptibility. Conclusions: This research extends our understanding of the phenotypic effects of the expansion of the FMRl gene, and it adds to the growing literature on the curvilinear relationship between CGG repeat length and mental and physical health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines (a) the impact of having a child with a disability on parents' mental and physical health among urban-dwelling African Americans and (b) the extent to which positive and negative social interactions with family members other than the spouse moderate the impact of child's disability on parental adaptation. Analyses are based on a probability sample of African Americans living in Milwaukee, Wisc. The analytic sample includes 48 parents of children with a disability and 144 comparison group parents of nondisabled children. Results showed that having a child with a disability is associated with more somatic symptoms. However, the negative consequences of the child's disability on parents' mental health are reduced when parents receive greater positive support from family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the long-term effects of child death on bereaved parents' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we compared 233 bereaved couples and 229 comparison couples (mean age = 65.11 years) and examined the life course effects of child death on parents' HRQoL. Variations in bereavement effects were examined by gender and for different causes of death. Bereaved parents had significantly worse HRQoL than comparison group parents, and there was no evidence of gender differences for this effect. With respect to the cause of a child's death, bereaved parents whose child died in violent circumstances had particularly low levels of HRQoL. Multilevel models indicated that marital closeness mitigated the negative effects of bereavement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using daily diary methods, mothers of adolescents and adults with ASD ( n = 86) were contrasted with a nationally representative comparison group of mothers of similarly-aged unaffected children ( n = 171) with respect to the diurnal rhythm of cortisol. Mothers of adolescents and adults with ASD were found to have significantly lower levels of cortisol throughout the day. Within the ASD sample, the son or daughter’s history of behavior problems interacted with daily behavior problems to predict the morning rise of the mother’s cortisol. A history of elevated behavior problems moderated the effect of behavior problems the day before on maternal cortisol level. Implications for interventions for both the mother and the individual with ASD are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, 96 co-residing mothers of adolescents and adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participated in an 8-day diary study and reported on their daily experiences. In comparison with a nationally representative sample of mothers of children without disabilities, mothers of adolescent and adult children with ASD spent significantly more time providing childcare and doing chores, and less time in leisure activities. Fatigue, arguments, avoided arguments, and stressful events were also more common among mothers of individuals with ASD. However, mothers of individuals with ASD reported similar levels of positive interactions and volunteerism as the comparison group. Daily experiences were subsequently related to well-being in both groups. These findings highlight the need for family support services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) highlights that they may be at increased risk for health problems when compared to the general population, and that these differences appear to increase with age. Relatively little research has examined the psychosocial impact of poorer health in this population, even though the clinical literature suggests that health problems put individuals with ASD at risk for elevated behavioral problems and their mothers at risk for elevated caregiving burden. This study examined the associations of physical health and behavior problems, as well as the associations of these factors with maternal burden, using longitudinal data. Results indicated that prior ratings of physical health problems predicted subsequent levels of behavior problems. Further, behavior problems partially mediated the effect of health problems on maternal burden. Implications for policies and interventions that focus on health promotion in conjunction with treatment of behavior problems are discussed, along with directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication use was examined in 286 adolescents and adults with ASD over a 4.5 year period. A total of 70% were taking a psychotropic or non-psychotropic medication at the beginning of the study. Both the number of psychotropic and non-psychotropic medications taken, and the proportion of individuals taking these medications, increased significantly over the study period, with 81% taking at least one medication 4.5 years later. Our findings suggested a high likelihood of staying medicated over time. Thus, adolescents and adults with ASD are a highly and increasingly medicated population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using daily telephone interviews, 82 midlife parents (mean age = 57.4) of children with disabilities (mean age = 29.9) were compared with a closely matched sample of unaffected parents (N = 82) to elucidate the daily experience of nonnormative parenting. In addition, salivary cortisol samples were obtained to examine whether parents of children with disabilities had dysregulated diurnal rhythms and the extent to which the amount of time spent with children was associated with divergent patterns of cortisol expression. We found that parents of children with disabilities had similar patterns of daily time use and similar likelihood of positive daily events as the comparison group, but they had elevated levels of stress, negative affect, and physical symptoms, all reported on a daily basis. In addition, their diurnal rhythm of cortisol expression differed significantly from the comparison group, a pattern that was strongest for parents of children with disabilities on days when they spent more time with their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on biological markers (biomarkers) in research on families of children with developmental disabilities (DD). It says that such research were based from the collected data of observational or self-report measures. It mentions that Hans Selye referred the physiological response on parenting a child with DD as a stress syndrome. Meanwhile, a study group from National Institutes of Health (NIH) defined biomarker as an indicator of normal biologic or pathogenic processes.

Using a cross-lagged panel design, we investigated the impact of positive family processes on change in autism symptoms and behaviors. A sample of 149 co-residing mothers and their adolescent or adult child with autism was drawn from a large, longitudinal study. Maternal warmth and praise were measured using coded speech samples in which mothers talked about their son or daughter. A high level of relationship quality was associated with subsequent reductions in internalizing and externalizing problems as well as reductions in impairments in social reciprocity and repetitive behaviors. Maternal warmth and praise were also related to symptom abatement in the repetitive behaviors domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the Study of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), this article examines: (1) the effect of having children with developmental or mental health problems on parents' mental and physical health, (2) the extent to which this effect varies by parental age and gender and (3) the effects of disability-related factors on the well-being of parents of children with disabilities. Compared to parents of non-disabled children, parents of disabled children experienced significantly higher levels of negative affect, marginally poorer psychological well-being, and significantly more somatic symptoms, controlling for sociodemographic variables. Mothers did not differ from fathers in their well-being. Older parents were significantly less likely to experience the negative effect of having a disabled child than younger parents, suggesting an age-related attenuation of the stress of non-normative parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the impact of autism symptoms and coping strategies on the well-being of mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The sample consisted of 153 mothers of toddlers and 201 mothers of adolescents drawn from two ongoing, longitudinal studies of families of individuals with ASD. For mothers of toddlers, lower levels of emotion-focused coping and higher levels of problem-focused coping were generally associated with better maternal well-being, regardless of the level of child symptomatology. For mothers of adolescents, coping often acted as a buffer when autism symptoms were high. Although there was evidence of maternal distress in both groups, the presence of significant buffering effects reflects adaptation in the face of stress, particularly for mothers of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Journal on Mental Retardation is the property of American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sibling expectations to provide future instrumental or emotional support for a brother or sister with schizophrenia when parents became disabled or died were examined. Data came from a sample of 137 siblings participating in a longitudinal study of aging families of adults with schizophrenia. Early socialization experiences, the quality of the sibling relationship, and personal caregiver gains propel siblings toward a future caregiving role, whereas geographic distance and beliefs about the controllability of psychiatric symptoms reduce expectations of future involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on the life course studies of siblings with developmental disabilities. The sibling relationship constitutes the longest lasting family tie, beginning with the birth of the younger sibling and ending with the death of one member of the sibling pair. Siblings share a common family heritage, both genetically and experientially, and perhaps for this reason, the sibling relationship is normatively characterized as egalitarian, reciprocal, and mutual. In addition, there may be less genetic and experiential similarity between members of the sib-pair and less egalitarianism and reciprocal exchange due to unequal abilities and patterns of life course outcomes. However, there may also be greater continuity in contact across the life course when the sibling has a developmental disability. A growing body of research on adult sibling relationships when one individual has a developmental disability suggests that, in general, these siblings tend to maintain high levels of involvement across the life course, although there is variability in the degree of contact and closeness.

Copyright of American Journal on Mental Retardation is the property of American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Investigates the level of well-being of later-life caregiving experience of mothers of dependent adult children. Domains of the stress process model; Sources, mediators and manifestations of stress; Care for mentally ill adults versus mentally retarded adults; Variables dictating the level of gratification of caregiver.

From the symbolic interaction perspective, the study examined the effect of loss of spouse on 30 rural widows in three Montana counties at 6 and 12 months after death of spouse. Participants were given a measure of psychological husband presence, a coping inventory, a health measure, and a measure of self-esteem. The results revealed a high level of adjustment among the rural widows at both 6 and 12 months after death of spouse, and a qualitative shift in the focus of the coping behaviors from 6 to 12 months after the husband's death. These results suggest that within this select sampleit is possible for widows to adjust to their new status and develop a positive and satisfying life as a single woman. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents information on a study which explores the role of social support in mitigating caregiving stress among parental caregivers of adult with disabilities. Authors' have adopted a stress process model and stress associated with caregiving such as the amount of care provided by the mother, the presence of behavioral problems, and the mother's concerns about the future well-being of her son or daughter, are conceptualized as chronic strains which may produce psychological distress. This study of family caregiving provides an opportunity to examine how social support processes are related to psychological outcomes. In this study it was found that social support was a more prominent predictor of changes in burden and depressive symptoms in mothers of adults with mental illness, suggesting the importance of the social context for their psychological well-being. Also, mothers of adults with mental retardation provided more care with activities of daily living than mothers of adults with mental illness. However, mothers of adults with mental illness had to cope with more behavioral problems than did mothers of adults with mental retardation.

The article presents information on a study which examines the differences and similarities between siblings of adults with mental illness and those with mental retardation. This study examines differences and similarities between siblings of adults with serious mental illness and siblings of adults with mental retardation with respect to both the context and qualities of the current sibling relationship and factors related to the psychological well-being of the non-disabled sibling. Data were collected from multiple family members, including siblings who are the primary respondents for this analysis. Data from the siblings of adults with mental retardation were collected at the third point of data collection of an eight-wave longitudinal study, while data from the siblings of adults with serious mental illness were collected at the second point of data collection of that study. It was found that siblings of adults with mental retardation were significantly more likely than siblings of adults with mental illness to perceive that the brother or sister had a pervasive influence on their life decisions and to evaluate their sibling experience as mostly positive. Also, siblings of adults with mental retardation had better psychological well-being when they had a close relationship with the brother or sister.

This article examines the antecedents and consequences of the end of co-resident caregiving in aging families of adults with mental retardation. Research on parental caregiving for adults with disabilities has revealed that there are both frustrations and gratifications associated with this role. The balance of positive and negative adaptations depends in large part on the specific disability of the adult child, the level of societal acceptance or stigma, and the formal and informal support systems available to or created by parents. It is found that aging mothers of adults with mental retardation report more gratifications, less subjective burden, more social support, and more effective coping strategies than aging mothers of adults with mental illness. To continue this line of comparative research, in this article, the author contrasts the predictors and consequences of the end of co-resident caregiving in two contexts: aging mothers caring for an adult son or daughter with mental retardation and aging mothers caring for an adult child with severe mental illness.

The article explores the degree to which off-timedness is predictive of subjective burdens experienced by parents of adult children with severe mental illness. Off-timedness is most reflective of parental concerns about the ill adult son's or daughter's well-being. Off-timedness may be indicative of the ill child's failure to achieve the normative adult task of being responsible for one-self. Perceptions of the ill adult child as being off-time may indicate parental uncertainty about his or her ability to function independently. Severe mental illness necessitates the need for familial support and assistance. The adult child's off-timedness may lead to greater parental worry that their ill son or daughter needs help and supervision to accomplish major life-span tasks. Parents who perceive their child as being off-time may be particularly worried about situations outside of their sphere of influence, such as the child's personal safety away from the family home and future care after the parents' deaths. The findings suggest that parental subjective distress is more likely to arise from stress created by psychiatric symptoms than stress associated with the off-spring's need for assistance and care.

Research has shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorder have higher rates of health problems throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, and that this may result in elevated risk of early mortality. This study reported the rate, timing, and causes of death in a large community-based cohort of adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (n = 406) over a 20-year period (1998–2018) and identified predictors of mortality. Over this period, 6.4% of individuals died at an average age of 39 years. Causes of death included chronic conditions (such as cancer and heart disease), accidents (such as choking on food and accidental poisoning), and health complications due to medication side effects. Even after controlling for age and health status, significant predictors of mortality were early childhood levels of impairments in social reciprocity and high levels of functional impairments at the start of the study period. The results suggest the importance of social engagement and functional self-sufficiency across the life course, as well as adequate access to health care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friendships and social participation are key domains of quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities. This study examined the friendships, social and recreational activities, and family social networks of individuals with intellectual disabilities from two distinct diagnostic groups: individuals diagnosed with fragile X syndrome (n = 81) compared with those diagnosed with autistic disorder (n = 226). Within each diagnostic group, individuals in two developmental stages were compared: adolescence and adulthood. Quality of life in friendships and social participation domains was notably low for individuals with fragile X and those with autism. Individuals with fragile X had more friendships and a less negative social impact on the family than individuals with autism. Across both groups, adolescents spent less time with friends and neighbors, and more time in exercising, than did adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective Parents of individuals with developmental disorders or mental health problems often provide life-long care and support to their children, which negatively affects their health in part due to chronic stress. This study aimed to examine the experience of stigma as a source of chronic stress among parents of individuals with developmental disorders or mental health problems and the effect of stigma on parental health outcomes. Method Using data from the Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2 and 3), we constructed a sample for a longitudinal analysis including 128 parents of individuals with developmental disorders (e.g., autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, brain injury, ADD/ADHD) or mental health problems (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depression) and 2256 parents whose children were nondisabled. Results Parents who had children with developmental disorders or mental health problems prior to the beginning of the study (i.e., at MIDUS 1) reported higher levels of stigma related to embarrassment/shame and daily discrimination than parents of nondisabled individuals ten years later at MIDUS 2, which in turn were associated with poorer parental health outcomes (poorer self-rated health and a greater number of chronic conditions) nearly a decade after that at MIDUS 3. Conclusions The findings suggest that the stigma associated with parenting a child with disabilities may be one mechanism that places such parents at risk for poor health. Efforts to alleviate the stigma associated with developmental disorders or mental health problems may have beneficial effects on health of parents of individuals with such conditions. Highlights • Parents of children with disabilities experience a higher level of stigma. • A higher level of parental stigma is associated with poorer health 10 years later. • Policies aimed at destigmatizing disabilities would have public health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Developmental disabilities and severe mental illness are costly to the affected individual and frequently to their family as well. Little studied are their nondisabled siblings. Here we examine major life course outcomes (education, employment, and marriage) of these siblings in adulthood using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. Our sample comprises 113 individuals with developmental disabilities and 337 of their nondisabled siblings; 97 individuals with mental illness and 235 of their nondisabled siblings; and 17,126 unaffected comparison group members. We find that siblings of individuals with mental illness have less education and less employment than the unaffected comparison group, whereas those who have a sibling with developmental disabilities had normative patterns of education and employment, but less marriage and more divorce. Robustness tests incorporating genetic data do not change the conclusions based on the nongenetic analyses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Drawing on modified labeling theory and the reflected appraisals process and using longitudinal data from 129 mothers and their adult children with schizophrenia, we estimate models of the effects of mothers’ stigmatized identity appraisals of their mentally ill children on reflected and self-appraisals, and how appraisals affect outcomes (symptoms, self-efficacy, life satisfaction). Results indicate that initial symptoms and functioning are related to how significant others think about their ill family members, how persons with mental illness think others perceive them, and how they perceive themselves. Part of the effects of initial symptoms and functioning on reflected appraisals are due to mothers’ appraisals. A small part of the effects of outcomes on self-appraisals are due to others’ and reflected appraisals. Stigmatized self-appraisals are related to outcomes, but reflected appraisals do not affect outcomes directly. Implications for modified labeling theory and social psychological processes in recovery from mental illness are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We compared the economic well-being and maternal employment of parents whose children did or did not have developmental disabilities. This prospective study is a secondary analysis of data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, collected when respondents were aged 18, 36, and 53, on average. Although the two groups were similar at age 18, income and savings differed markedly by age 53, but statistically significant differences were not found on other measures. Mothers of children with disabilities were less likely to have job spells lasting more than 5 years and had lower earnings when they were 36 years old. Further, there was a trend for them to be less likely to have full-time jobs as their children grew older. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined trajectories of daily living skills, behavior problems, body mass index (BMI), and health conditions spanning nearly a decade in adolescents and adults with fragile X syndrome (N = 134; age range at study end = 19–49 years), examining influences of sex and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed early increases in daily living skills, with decreases at older ages. Behavior problems became less severe over time, with some increases at older ages. Individuals gained weight and had increasing health problems over time. Fewer ASD symptoms were associated with greater daily living skills and fewer behavior problems at study start. This study offers some of the first prospective quantitative analyses of behavioral and health life course trajectories in FXS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The death of a child is a traumatic stressor that takes a toll on the health of parents. This study examined long-term impacts of the death of a child on the risk of early mortality in bereaved parents. In a follow-up analysis, a twin subsample was analyzed to examine potential genetic confounding. We analyzed data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. The primary sample consists of two groups of MIDUS 2 participants (2004–06); (1) parents who experienced the death of a child prior to MIDUS 2 (n = 451) and (2) comparison parents who had not experienced death of any children (n = 1804) (mean age = 63). We also analyzed 52 twin pairs in which one twin experienced the death of a child and 271 twin pairs in which both twins had all living children. Mortality status of parents was assessed in 2017. Parents who had experienced the death of a child had a 32% higher likelihood of early mortality (defined as dying earlier than life expectancy) than their peers who did not have any deceased children, and they were more likely to die of heart disease. Analyses of the twin subsample revealed significantly lower concordance for early mortality among the pairs with a bereaved twin than among control twins, consistent with non-genetic effects. The findings suggest that the death of a child has lasting impacts on the risk of early mortality in bereaved parents. This study provides the first U.S. estimate of bereavement effects on mortality extending through the parents' full life course, with significant public health implications. In addition, analysis of concordance of early death rates in the twin subsample suggests the impact on mortality of parental bereavement, net of genetic factors. • 32% higher rate of mortality in bereaved parents than non-bereaved parents. • Parental mortality effect confirmed in twin sample. • Highest death rates from heart disease in bereaved parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mothers of adolescents and adults with fragile X syndrome (FXS) are faced with high levels of parenting stress. The extent to which mothers are negatively impacted by this stress, however, may be influenced by their own genetic status. The present study uses a diathesis-stress model to examine the ways in which a genetic vulnerability in mothers with the premutation of the FMR1 gene interacts with child-related environmental stress to predict their morning cortisol levels. Seventy-six mothers of an adolescent or adult with FXS participated in an 8-day telephone diary study in which they reported on the behavior problems of their son or daughter with FXS each day. We analyzed salivary cortisol collected from mothers at awakening and 30 minutes after awakening on 4 of these days. The results indicated that mothers with greater genetic vulnerability had a lower level of cortisol on mornings following days when their son or daughter with FXS manifested more episodes of behavior problems, whereas mothers with less genetic risk evinced the opposite pattern of higher morning cortisol in response to their child’s behavior problems. This finding contributes to our understanding of gene-by-environment interactions and highlights the importance of interventions to alleviate parenting stress in mothers raising children with FXS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A large body of work demonstrates the impact of caregiving burden on the well-being of parents of individuals with developmental conditions or mental health problems. However, a relative dearth of research examines this impact longitudinally into parents' older age. Objective. The current study examines (1) longitudinal changes in the effect of having a child with a developmental or mental health problem on parental negative affect, psychological well-being, and somatic symptoms, (2) age and gender moderations on these effects, and (3) the unique impact of factors related to the child's condition. Method. This study employs hierarchical linear regression models to examine longitudinal survey data from midlife adults (N = 1,101) from two waves of the National Study of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS). Results. Models revealed some evidence for age attenuation of the impact of caregiving stress. Parents of children with developmental problems still had higher negative affect, poorer psychological well-being, and more somatic symptoms on average than parents in a comparison sample, whereas parents of children with mental health problems only showed evidence of higher negative affect compared to this sample. Within-group analyses also revealed differences between each parenting group into later adulthood. Conclusions. Parents of individuals with developmental or mental health problems may be at risk for poorer well-being late in life. Yet, age and gender differences as well as diagnostic group differences nuance these findings. • Non-normative parenting poses a risk for parental well-being. • Parents' elevated negative affect persisted over time, into later adulthood. • For some parents, health consequences attenuated with age. • Older parental age was protective for well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Parents of sons and daughters with disabilities have ongoing financial burdens and vulnerability due to the demands of caregiving responsibilities and their related direct and indirect costs. This study aims to investigate whether midlife and older parents of individuals with a mental health problem or a developmental disability were particularly vulnerable to the impact of the recession., Research Design and Methods: The data were drawn from Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), a longitudinal survey of a national probability sample in the United States, Waves II (2004-2006) and III (2013-2014; 84 parents of individuals with a mental health problem, 98 parents of individuals with a developmental disability, and 2,029 parents of individuals without any conditions as a comparison group)., Results: The findings suggest that the midlife and older parents whose son or daughter had a mental health problem experienced more recession impacts than comparison parents, even after controlling prerecession financial status and sociodemographic characteristics., Discussion and Implications: The results indicate the need for policies that provide effective financial support and reduce restrictions on health service access in order to relieve the financial burden experienced by midlife and older parents of individuals with a mental health problem.

This research examined how parenting adults with developmental disabilities affects parental well-being beyond midlife and into old age. Parents of adults with developmental disabilities ( n = 249) and parents of adults without disabilities ( n = 9,016), studied in their early 50s and mid-60s, were longitudinally tracked into their early 70s. Compared to parents of adults without disabilities, parents of adults with disabilities showed a pattern of normative functioning in their 50s, followed by poorer well-being in their mid-60s, and further declines in health and well-being into the early 70s. Aging parents who co-resided with their adult child with disabilities were particularly vulnerable, experiencing a steeper increase in depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI) than parents whose child with disabilities lived away from home.

Currently there are few evidence-based programs available for families of individuals with ASD during the transition to adulthood. The present study provided a preliminary evaluation of a multi-family group psychoeducation intervention using a randomized waitlist control design (n = 41). Families in the intervention condition participated in Transitioning Together, an 8-week program designed to reduce family distress and improve social functioning for adolescents. Findings indicated significant improvements in parental depressive symptoms and problem solving from pre- to post-intervention for parents in the intervention condition but not for parents in the control condition. Social interactions also improved for youth in the intervention condition relative to controls. Parents reported satisfaction with the program and particularly valued the opportunity to interact with other families.

Purpose of the Study: This study examined whether caregiving has a differential effect on the well-being of sibling caregivers relative to other caregiving groups and whether race moderates this effect., Design and Methods: Using the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, 631 family caregivers (including 61 sibling caregivers) and 4,944 noncaregivers were identified. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effect of the caregiver-care recipient relationship and its interaction with race on caregivers' well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-rated health, life satisfaction, and perceived control over life)., Results: Caregivers in general reported poorer well-being than noncaregivers, but sibling caregivers were less affected by caregiving than parent or spouse caregivers. Among sibling caregivers, caregiving took a significantly greater toll on non-Hispanic White caregivers than those from minority groups with respect to depressive symptoms and life satisfaction., Implication: The findings suggest that the experience of sibling caregivers is significantly shaped by their cultural background., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The present investigation explored long-term relationships of behavioral symptoms of adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities with the mental health of their mothers. Fragile X premutation carrier mothers of an adolescent or adult child with fragile X syndrome (n = 95), and mothers of a grown child with autism (n = 213) were included. Behavioral symptoms at Time 1 were hypothesized to predict maternal depressive symptoms at Time 3 via maternal executive dysfunction at Time 2. Results provided support for the mediating pathway of executive dysfunction. Additionally, the association of behavioral symptoms with executive dysfunction differed across the two groups, suggesting that premutation carriers may be more susceptible to caregiving stress due to their genotype.

Objective: This study examines the cognitive functioning of parents of children with disabilities, specifically, whether there is an evidence of accelerated cognitive aging among these parents. In addition, the study investigates the moderating influences of two variables: parents' gender and stress from negative parenting experience., Method: The analyses utilize data from the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (2005). The analytic sample consisted of two groups of parents, who completed the cognitive battery, the interview, and the mail-back survey: 128 parents who had children with childhood-onset disabilities and 512 matched comparison parents who had only nondisabled children., Results: Age differences in episodic memory were more pronounced among mothers of children with disabilities than among mothers with nondisabled children, especially among mothers with higher levels of negative parenting experience. In contrast, there were no interaction effects of parenting status, age, and negative parenting experience among fathers., Discussion: The results show that parenting children with disabilities over a prolonged period of time jeopardizes cognitive function (especially memory) among older mothers, possibly via the mechanism of heightened parenting stress due to higher levels of negative parenting experience., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

This study aims to extend the definition of quality of life (QoL) for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, n = 180, ages 23-60) by: (1) characterizing the heterogeneity of normative outcomes (employment, independent living, social engagement) and objective QoL (physical health, neighborhood quality, family contact, mental health issues); and (2) identifying predictors of positive normative outcomes and good objective QoL. Findings of an exploratory latent class analysis identified three groups of adults with ASD-Greater Dependence, Good Physical and Mental Health, and Greater Independence. Findings indicate that better daily living skills, better executive function, and more maternal warmth are associated with assignment to better outcome groups. Findings have implications for interventions designed to enhance achievement of normative outcomes and objective QoL., Competing Interests: Dr. Bishop-Fitzpatrick, Dr. Hong, Dr. Smith, Ms. Makuch, Dr. Greenberg, and Dr. Mailick declare that they have no conflict of interest.

The present study examined trajectories of adaptive behavior, behavior problems, psychological symptoms, and autism symptoms in adolescents and adults with fragile X syndrome (n = 147) over a three-year period. Adaptive behavior significantly increased over time, particularly for adolescents, and the severity of behavior problems decreased over time. Family environmental factors predicted phenotypic variables net of gender, intellectual disability status, and medication use. Maternal warmth was associated with higher levels of adaptive behavior, lower levels of autism symptoms, and decreases in behavior problems over time. Maternal depressive symptoms and criticism were associated with higher levels of psychological symptoms. Implications for interventions are discussed.

We examined factors related to subjective quality of life (QoL) of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 25-55 (n = 60), using the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL-BREF). We used three different assessment methods: adult self-report, maternal proxy-report, and maternal report. Reliability analysis showed that adults with ASD rated their own QoL reliably. QoL scores derived from adult self-reports were more closely related to those from maternal proxy-report than from maternal report. Subjective factors such as perceived stress and having been bullied frequently were associated with QoL based on adult self-reports. In contrast, level of independence in daily activities and physical health were significant predictors of maternal reports of their son or daughter's QoL.

In the present study, we jointly employ and integrate variable- and person-centered approaches to identify groups of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who have similar profiles of change over a period of 10 years across three critical domains of functioning: maladaptive behaviors, autism symptoms, and daily living skills. Two distinct developmental profiles were identified. Above and beyond demographic and individual characteristics, aspects of both the educational context (level of inclusion) and the family context (maternal positivity) were found to predict the likelihood of following a positive pattern of change. Implementing evidence-based interventions that target the school and home environments during childhood and adolescence may have lasting impacts on functioning into adulthood for individuals with ASD.