Longitudinal pathways between parent depression and child mental health in families of autistic children.

ABSTRACT: Autistic children and their parents are at risk for mental health problems, but the processes driving these connections are unknown. Leveraging three data cycles (spaced M = 11.76 months, SD = 2.77) on 162 families with autistic children (aged 6-13 years), the associations between parent-child relationship quality (warmth and criticism), child mental health problems, and parent depression symptoms were examined. A complete longitudinal mediation model was conducted using structural equation modeling. Father depression mediated the link between child mental health problems and father critical comments (β = -0.017, p = 0.018; CI [-.023 - -.015]). Father report of child mental health problems mediated the association between father depression and father critical co

SUBMITTER: Piro-Gambetti B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11929618 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature