Associations Between Parenting Stress and Quality Time in Families of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Increased stress among parents of youth with ASD has been well-documented. However, research on aspects of the parent-child relationship and subsequent links to parenting stress is limited. We assessed parents (N = 511) of youth with ASD to examine relations between parenting stress and parent-child quality time (amount of quality time, shared enjoyment, synchronicity). Elevated parenting stress was associated with less time spent engaging with youth in shared activities and decreased parent and child enjoyment during shared interactions. Parents with elevated stress reported engaging in shared activities and experiencing synchronicity with their child less often than parents below the clinical threshold. Future research should emphasize longitudinal efforts examining the directionality of this relationship to better inform family-focused intervention.

Christianson Syndrome across the Lifespan: An International Longitudinal Study in Children, Adolescents, and Adults.

Mutations in the X-linked endosomal Na+/H+ Exchanger 6 (NHE6) causes Christianson Syndrome (CS). In the largest study to date, we examine genetic diversity and clinical progression, including cerebellar degeneration, in CS into adulthood. Data were collected as part of the International Christianson Syndrome and NHE6 (SLC9A6) Gene Network Study. Forty-four individuals with 31 unique NHE6 mutations, age 2 to 32 years, were followed prospectively, herein reporting baseline, 1-year follow-up, and retrospective natural history. We present data on the CS phenotype with regard to physical growth, adaptive and motor regression, and across the lifespan, including information on mortality. Longitudinal data on body weight and height were examined using a linear mixed model: the rate of growth across development was slow and resulted in prominently decreased age-normed height and weight by adulthood. Adaptive functioning was longitudinally examined: a majority of adult (18+ years) participants lost gross and fine motor skills over a 1-year follow-up. Previously defined core diagnostic criteria for CS (present in >85%) - namely nonverbal status, intellectual disability, epilepsy, postnatal microcephaly, ataxia, hyperkinesia - were universally present in age 6 to 16; however, an additional core feature of high pain tolerance was added (present in 91%), and furthermore, evolution of symptoms were noted across the lifespan, such that postnatal microcephaly, ataxia and high pain threshold were often not apparent prior to age 6, and hyperkinesis decreased after age 16. While neurologic exams were consistent with cerebellar dysfunction, importantly, a majority of individuals (>50% older than 10) also had corticospinal tract abnormalities. Three participants died during the period of the study. In this large and longitudinal study of CS, we begin to define the trajectory of symptoms and the adult phenotype, thereby identifying critical targets for treatment.

Community-based Agency Delivery of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Comparing Outcomes for Children with and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Developmental Delays.

While externalizing behaviors are common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a shortage of specialist community-based clinicians to provide treatment. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an intervention designed to reduce child disruptive behaviors, may be effective for families of children with ASD but has rarely been studied outside of university-based research settings. We examined the effectiveness of PCIT delivered for children with (N = 109) and without (N = 2,324) ASD/developmental delays (DD) across community-based agencies in Oregon. Findings revealed significant reductions in disruptive behavior and positive changes in the parent-child relationship in both groups. These findings support PCIT as an efficacious intervention for children with ASD/DD and demonstrate PCIT's promise in community-based agencies with non-specialized clinicians.