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Hispanic/Latinx parents of children with developmental delays/disabilities (DD) face disparities in service access and research participation. In the present study, 60 Spanish-speaking caregivers of young children with DD participated in randomly assigned stress reduction interventions (psychoeducation/support groups or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction [MBSR]), followed by behavioral parent training (BPT). Caregiver attendance and satisfaction ratings were measured, and focus groups gathered additional information on caregivers' takeaways from the interventions. Caregivers demonstrated high satisfaction across interventions, with slightly greater preference for psychoeducation/support groups, and qualitative data indicated that the relevance of the information and style of delivery may be responsible. Researchers and clinicians may attain greater engagement with this population by focusing on intervention services that include psychoeducation and peer support elements.

Families play an important role in supporting children's learning and behavioral health. School psychologists are ideally situated to promote family-school partnerships, home-school collaboration, and enhance positive parenting practices on behalf of students. When American schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, many families experienced increased stress and caregiving burden associated with supporting their children at home. We delivered a behavioral parent training program via telehealth to 42 Spanish-speaking Latinx parents of preschool children with developmental delay (DD) and elevated behavior problems during the pandemic. We used an implementation framework to examine acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, and implementation cost of the telehealth approach for this sample. Our findings suggest overall positive implementation outcomes for Latinx parents of children with DD. We discuss key implementation issues that are relevant to school psychologists delivering consultation and family-centered interventions to support families and students from diverse backgrounds.

Background: Obesity rates are higher in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (DD) compared to typically developing (TD) children. In TD children, family-based (FB) interventions for obesity are the most effective interventions. Research addressing obesity interventions for children with IDD is limited. Method: We adapted a community-based obesity intervention created for TD children for children with IDD and added a parent education component. The current study examined the feasibility of Enhanced-Operation Fit, a camp-based intervention created in order to reduce weight, and improve health behavior outcomes. Participants were 16 children (68.8% male; M[subscript age] = 13.15, SD[subscript age] = 1.62) and their parents. Results: Results indicated that incorporating a daily parent education group limited recruitment potential, but showed promising preliminary improvements in parent feeding and child eating behaviors. Conclusions: Health interventions for children with IDD are greatly needed and the current study may be a cost and time-efficient intervention to help address this public health crisis.

Introduction: Children with developmental delays (DD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at a high risk for emotional and behavioral concerns. Research examining co-occurring anxiety in those with ASD during early childhood is scarce. The current study examined rates, symptom manifestation, and parenting risk correlates of anxiety among young children with ASD and those with a non-spectrum DD. Method: The study included a sample of preschool-aged children (M = 4.18 years) with ASD (n = 56) and non-spectrum DD (n = 43). Anxiety symptoms were measured using the CBCL, and parenting was measured using parent-report and observational methods. Results: Results indicated that those with ASD were at a greater risk for anxiety symptoms than those with a non-spectrum DD; however, ASD diagnosis did not differentiate the presentation of anxiety. Inconsistent parenting emerged as predictor of anxiety symptoms for children with ASD. Conclusions: Given the high risk for anxiety in individuals with ASD, it is important to identify and treat anxiety in young children with ASD. The current study highlighted inconsistent parenting as a potential target to address in future parenting interventions for anxiety in young children with ASD.

Introduction: Children with developmental delays (DD), particularly autism spectrum disorders (ASD), are at high risk for increased levels of behavior problems and developing internalizing problems. While previous literature has highlighted the impact of parental stress on the development of behavioral problems broadly in children with DD, research on the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with ASD is scarce. Growing evidence has supported Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an effective intervention for reducing stress among parents of children with DD. These reductions in parent stress are also associated with subsequent reductions in their children's behavior problem; however, to our knowledge, the effects of MBSR and reductions in parent stress on internalizing problems in children with DD have not been examined. Method: The current study utilized data from Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress (MAPS) which consisted of families of 80 preschool children with developmental delays (DD) whose parents reported high levels of stress. Specifically, we investigated whether decreases in parenting stress as a result of engagement in a MBSR intervention would lead to reductions in internalizing behavior problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child's ASD status. Additionally, we examined whether individual increases in the mindful facets of acting with awareness and nonjudgment, from pre- to post- treatment, would lead to reductions in internalizing problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child's ASD status. Results: Children of parents in the MBSR treatment group had greater reductions in internalizing problems compared to children whose parents were in the waitlist-control group, "b"= -5.71, "p" <0.05. We also found that children of parents who reported greater increases in acting with awareness post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, "b"= -2.57, "p"<0.05. Additionally, children whose parents had greater increases in nonjudgment post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, "b"= -1.85, "p"<0.05. However, ASD status was not a significant moderator in either analysis, "ps" >0.05 Conclusions: These findings have important implications regarding the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with DD. This treatment offers a novel approach to treating comorbid internalizing problems in children with DD. Parents' use of MBSR provides a method of early intervention, which may ameliorate the development of internalizing problems over time. The current study helps to inform future parenting interventions by highlighting the importance of addressing specific facets of mindfulness in interventions which may lead to greater reductions in internalizing problems in vulnerable populations such as children with DD.

Initial intervention processes for children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) largely focused on direct efforts to impact core cognitive and academic deficits associated with the diagnosis. Recent research on risk processes in families of children with ID, however, has influenced new developmental system approaches to early intervention. Recent risk and resilience processes are reviewed that connect stress, family process, and the high rates of behavioral problems in children with ID that have substantial influence on child and family outcomes. These models are linked to emerging evidence-based intervention processes that focus on strategic parent skill training and mindfulness interventions that reduce parental stress and create indirect benefits for children's behavioral competencies. A family-focused developmental systems approach (M. J. Guralnick, 2011) is emphasized.

Objective: We explored the relationship between acculturation and parenting stress among parents of children with developmental delays (DD) and investigated family support as a potential moderator. Methods: Participants included 99 parents of young children with DD. Standardized measures were used to evaluate the variables of interest and a multiple linear regression analysis was employed to test the moderation effect. Results: Our results indicated that the relationship between acculturation and parenting stress depended on the level of family support. More specifically, low levels of acculturation were associated with increased parenting stress at high levels of family support but not low levels of family support. Conclusions: Minority parents of children with DDs may be at risk for especially high levels of parenting stress due to the additive stress of adapting to a new culture and parenting a child with special needs. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed.

Relative to parents of children with neurotypical development and other developmental disabilities, parents of autistic children experience higher levels of parenting stress, which are associated with deleterious consequences for parents' mental and physical health and child functioning. Despite urgent calls to action, parenting stress is rarely addressed directly in interventions for families of autistic children, and less so in underserved and racial/ethnic minority populations where clinical needs are greater. This study tested the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction, compared to a psychoeducation and support intervention, in reducing parenting stress among diverse families of autistic preschoolers. Participants (N = 117) were randomly assigned to the mindfulness-based stress reduction or psychoeducation and support groups; assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 6 and 12 months postintervention. Results indicated significant reductions in parenting stress across both the mindfulness-based stress reduction and psychoeducation and support intervention conditions; however, reductions in parenting stress were greater for parents in mindfulness-based stress reduction than in psychoeducation and support. Furthermore, the benefit of mindfulness-based stress reduction relative to psychoeducation and support increased over time, with significant group differences in parenting stress detected at 12-month follow-up. Parents of autistic children often experience high levels of parenting stress, which can have negative mental and physical effects on both the parent and child. This study tested the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction in reducing parenting stress in parents of preschool-aged autistic children compared to a psychoeducation and support intervention. We assessed parenting stress before and after the interventions and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Both interventions significantly decreased parenting stress, but mindfulness-based stress reduction reduced stress more than did psychoeducation and support, with the strongest effect observed 1 year later. This suggests that the stress-reducing benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction persist and may increase over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with developmental delays (DD) are at heightened risk for developing clinically significant behavioral and emotional difficulties as compared to children with typical development (TD). However, nearly all studies comparing psychopathology in youth with DD employ TD control groups of the same chronological age (CA). It is unclear, then, whether the heightened symptomology found in age-matched children with DD is beyond what would be expected given their developmental level. The present study assessed rates of behavior problems and mental disorder in 35 children with DD at age 9 years. These were compared with rates from 35 children with TD matched for CA at age 9 and also earlier rates for these same children at age 6, when matched for mental age (MA). Children with DD had significantly more behavior problems in 7 of the 17 scales of the CBCL when compared to TD children matched for CA, and 6 of 17 scales when compared to the MA-matched group. Rates of meeting DSM-IV criteria for a psychiatric disorder were significantly higher in the DD group than both the CA- and MA-matched TD groups for three and four, respectively, of the seven diagnoses examined. Descriptively, the mean ratings for all variables assessed were higher for the DD group than both TD comparison groups, with the exception of the Anxious/Depressed scale of the CBCL. These findings validate the heightened risk for clinically significant behavior problems and mental disorders in youth with DD above and beyond their developmental functioning.

Parents of children with (versus without) intellectual and developmental disabilities report greater stress; such stress may be exacerbated by dissatisfaction with school services, poor parent-school partnerships, and the need for parent advocacy. Increasingly, mindfulness interventions have been used to reduce parent stress. However, it is unclear whether parents apply mindfulness strategies during the special education process to reduce school-related stress. To investigate whether mindfulness may reduce school-related stress, interviews were conducted with 26 parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who completed a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention. Participants were asked about their stress during meetings with the school, use of mindfulness strategies in communicating with the school, and the impact of such strategies. The majority of parent participants reported: special education meetings were stressful; they used mindfulness strategies during IEP meetings; and such strategies affected parents' perceptions of improvements in personal well-being, advocacy, family-school relationships, and access to services for their children. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Introduction: Studies have shown that parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) exhibit higher levels of stress than parents of typically developing children or children with other types of developmental delays (DD). This relationship appears to be mediated by elevated levels of behavior problems observed in children with PDD. However, little is known about what specific child behavior problems are most common in this population or how these behavior problems relate to parental stress. We examined the relationship between parenting stress and child behavior problems in parents of young children with PDD. Method: The current study utilized data from the Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress (MAPS) project and included 72 parents of children with PDD. The mean age of the parents in the current study was 34.81 years (SD = 7.67) and the mean age of the children was 3.86 years (SD = 0.98). Results: The most commonly endorsed classes of child behavior problems included attention problems, language problems, and externalizing behavior problems. Three specific behavior problems, "Doesn't answer when people talk to him/her," "Speech problem," and "Temper tantrums or hot temper," were significantly related to parental stress levels at intake. Furthermore, these three behavior problems uniquely predicted parenting stress. Conclusions: Identifying the behavior problems that are most difficult for parents to handle may allow clinicians to tailor interventions to the specific needs of families. The current study indicated that social difficulties, speech problems, and tantrums have the greatest negative impact on parental stress, highlighting these problems as ideal targets for interventions.

Initial intervention processes for children with intellectual disabilities (IDs) largely focused on direct efforts to impact core cognitive and academic deficits associated with the diagnosis. Recent research on risk processes in families of children with ID, however, has influenced new developmental system approaches to early intervention. Recent risk and resilience processes are reviewed that connect stress, family process, and the high rates of behavioral problems in children with ID that have substantial influence on child and family outcomes. These models are linked to emerging evidence-based intervention processes that focus on strategic parent skill training and mindfulness interventions that reduce parental stress and create indirect benefits for children's behavioral competencies. A family-focused developmental systems approach (M. J. Guralnick, 2011) is emphasized.

Studies have found that low marital satisfaction, parenting stress, and child behavior problems are linked in families of children with developmental delays (DD). However, previous investigations examining the relationships between parenting stress, child behavior problems, and marital satisfaction rarely examine the interrelationships of these three variables simultaneously, and the samples used are often restricted in terms of age and ethnicity, limiting generalizability. The primary aim of the study was to examine the associations between marital satisfaction, child behavior problems, and parenting stress in a diverse sample of parents of young children with DD. The study included 44 parents of children ages 2.5 to 5 years with DD and high levels of behavior problems who participated in a larger study looking at the impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in reducing parenting stress and child behavior problems. Marital satisfaction was significantly related to both parenting stress and child behavior problems, where parents with lower marital satisfaction reported higher parenting stress and child behavior problems. Additionally, preliminary analyses indicated that marital quality significantly moderated changes in child behavior problems from pre- to posttreatment but did not moderate changes in parenting stress as a result of the MBSR intervention.

Background: Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) typically report elevated levels of parental stress compared with parents of typically developing children. Children with DD are also at high risk for exhibiting significant behaviour problems. Parental stress has been shown to impact the development of these behaviour problems; however, it is rarely addressed in interventions aimed at reducing child behaviour problems. The current study examined the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for parents of children with DD by investigating whether this intervention is effective in reducing parenting stress and whether decreases in parenting stress lead to reductions in behaviour problems among children with DD. Materials and methods: Forty six parents of children with DD were randomly assigned to an immediate treatment or wait list-control group. Participants completed questionnaires assessing parental stress and child behaviour problems at intake and at a second assessment, which took place after only the immediate treatment group had received the MBSR. Results: Parents who participated in MBSR reported significantly less stress and depression as well as greater life satisfaction compared with wait list-control parents. Regarding child outcomes, children whose parents participated in MBSR were reported to have fewer behaviour problems following the intervention, specifically in the areas of attention problems and ADHD symptomatology. Discussion: Results indicated that MBSR may be an effective intervention for ameliorating parental stress and mental health problems among parents of children with DD. Additionally, these benefits may "spill over" and improve behaviour challenges among these children.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher rates of depressive symptoms than parents of typically developing children and parents of children with other developmental disorders. Parental depressive symptoms are strongly associated with problem behaviors in children; however, the mechanisms through which parental depression influences child behavior in families of children with ASD are unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems among families of children with ASD, more specifically to investigate the mediating variables that may explain the processes through which parental depression and child behavior problems are associated. The sample consisted of 33 parents of children with ASD (ages 2 to 5 years old). Findings suggested that authoritative parenting style significantly mediated the relationship between parental depression and behavior problems. This study highlights the importance of considering parental mental health and its impact on parenting behavior in interventions targeting child behavior problems.

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at heightened risk for mental disorders. Using current diagnostic criteria, disruptive behavior disorders, specifically Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), appear to be the most prevalent co-occurring disorders. However, the validity of ADHD as a diagnosis for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities remains unclear. The present study examined the clinical presentation of ADHD (prevalence, sex differences, and comorbidity) among adolescents with and without intellectual disability (ID) as well as investigated the validity of ADHD for adolescents with ID by examining similarities in terms of symptom presentation, developmental course, and associated functional impairment. The sample included 142 adolescents and their families, about a third of whom were classified in the ID group and the remaining were in the typically developing (TD) group. Findings indicated that adolescents with ID continue to be at elevated risk for ADHD (risk ratio: 3.38:1) compared to their typically developing peers. Additionally, the presentation of ADHD appeared similar among adolescents with and without ID, supporting the validity of an ADHD diagnosis for this population of adolescents. Implications for public policy and intervention are discussed.

Parenting stress and child behavior problems have been posited to have a transactional effect on each other across development. However, few studies have tested this model empirically. The authors investigated the relationship between parenting stress and child behavior problems from ages 3 to 9 years old among 237 children, 144 of whom were typically developing and 93 who were identified as developmentally delayed. Behavior problems and parenting stress covaried significantly across time for both groups of children. Cross-lagged panel analyses generally supported a bidirectional relationship between parenting stress and child behavior problems for mothers and fathers.

The impact on everyday life for siblings of children with intellectual disability or typical development was examined. Participants were families of children with intellectual disability (n = 39) or typical development (n = 75). Child behavior problems and sibling impact were assessed at child ages 5, 6, 7, and 8. Results indicate that siblings of children with intellectual disability were consistently reported by mothers and fathers to be more negatively impacted compared to siblings of typically developing children. When child behavior problems were accounted for, however, there was no longer a significant relationship between child intellectual status and sibling impact. For both intellectual disability and typical development groups, cross-lagged panel analyses indicate that early child behavior problems lead to increased sibling negative impact over time.

Epidemiological studies of children and adolescents with intellectual disability have found 30 to 50% exhibiting clinically significant behavior problems. Few studies, however, have assessed young children, included a cognitively typical comparison group, assessed for specific disorders, and/or studied family correlates of diagnosis. We assessed 236 5-year-old children--95 with developmental delay (DD) and 141 with typical development--for clinical diagnoses using a structured interview. Every disorder assessed was more prevalent in the DD group. The percent of children meeting criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) most highly differentiated the two groups (ratio = 3.21:1). There was high stability from externalizing behavior problems at age 3 to ADHD diagnoses at age 5 in both groups. In regression analyses, parenting stress at child age 3 related to later ADHD diagnosis in both groups and maternal scaffolding (sensitive teaching) also predicted ADHD in the DD group. (Contains 5 tables.)

The transition from high school to adulthood is a critical life stage that entails many changes, especially for youth with severe intellectual disability. The transition period may be especially stressful for the families of these young adults, who often experience a sudden change, or decrease, in services. However, little research has examined what constitutes a successful transition for the families of these individuals. The present study examined parent perspectives of transition for 128 young adults with severe intellectual disability, specifically, parent satisfaction with transition. Results suggested that transition satisfaction is related to young adult, family, and environmental characteristics, with environmental characteristics being the strongest predictors of transition satisfaction. Furthermore, transition satisfaction is related to multiple measures of family well being, indicating the tremendous need for considering the broader family system when planning for a young adult's transition. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.