Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
2021
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
S. Jean Caraway
Abstract
Associations between the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) and depressive symptoms among parents of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been well established. However, the nature of this relationship has not been examined; emotion dysregulation and perceived social support could provide further understanding. This study aimed to explore the indirect association between BAP traits and depressive symptoms via emotion dysregulation and perceived social support. Participants were 219 parents of children with ASD, ages ranging from 22 to 69 years old (M = 38.37, SD = 8.72). Participants completed online questionnaires including the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-D), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results of the mediated path analysis indicated that emotion dysregulation partially mediated the relationship between BAP traits, particularly pragmatic language deficits and aloofness, and depressive symptoms. It is possible that parents with children with ASD with pragmatic language deficits and increased aloofness are more likely to experience higher levels of emotion dysregulation, which leads to the presence of greater depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses also examined specific facets of emotion dysregulation and perceived social support that are important to consider. The findings of the current study provide support for the importance of screening for BAP traits and depressive symptoms and intervening at the emotion regulation and perceived significant other support level in parents of children with ASD.
Subject Categories
Clinical Psychology
Keywords
Broad Autism Phenotype, Social Support, Emotion Regulation, Depression
Number of Pages
147
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
VanNess, Chelsey, "Relationship Between the Broad Autism Phenotype, Social Support, Emotion Regulation, and Depression in Parents of Children with Autism" (2021). Dissertations and Theses. 41.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/41