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Research regarding autistic children's sibling relationship quality is mixed, although some literature suggests poorer quality compared to children with other disabilities or who are neurotypical. Little is known about how the clinical characteristics of autistic children relate to parent perceptions of sibling relationship quality. We drew data from a subsample of 119 children on the autism spectrum, ages 10-11 years, from an ongoing longitudinal study. Hierarchical multiple regressions tested the extent to which children's autism symptoms, behavioral difficulties, and communication abilities related to four domains of parent-rated sibling relationship quality. We also examined communication ability as a moderator of the effect of behavioral difficulties on parent-rated sibling relationship quality. More severe autism symptoms were associated with lower levels of conflict and rivalry, whereas higher communication ability was related to more relative status/power, but also conflict. Communication ability moderated the effect of behavioral difficulties such that behavioral difficulties were more closely associated with less warmth/closeness when children had weaker communication skills; behavioral difficulties were not significantly associated with other domains of sibling relationship quality. Findings underscore the importance of considering clinical characteristics and multiple domains of relationship quality to better understand how parents view the relationships between autistic children and their siblings.

Mental health problems are prevalent in autistic youth, but the underpinning mechanisms are not well explored. In neurotypical youth, stressful life events are an established risk factor for mental health problems. This study tested longitudinal bidirectional associations between family-level stressful life events and mental health problems and whether these were moderated by cognitive flexibility, in a cohort of autistic children (N = 247). Family-stressful life events, assessed using the parent-reported Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes, and mental health problems, assessed using the teacher-reported Child Behavior Checklist Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms subscales, were measured at multiple points between 7 and 11 years. Analyses showed no significant pathways from internalizing or externalizing symptoms to family-stressful life events or from family-stressful life events to internalizing or externalizing symptoms. There was some evidence of moderation by cognitive flexibility; the family-stressful life events to internalizing symptoms pathway was non-significant in the group with typical shifting ability but significant in the group with clinically significant shifting problems. Information about family-level stressful life event exposure and cognitive flexibility may be helpful in identifying autistic youth who may be at higher risk of developing mental health problems. Established risk factors for mental health problems in neurotypical populations are relevant for understanding mental health in autistic youth. [This article was written with the Pathways in ASD Study Team.]

Research on adults indicates other-oriented perfectionism (requiring perfection from others) is associated with various consequential outcomes independent of self-oriented perfectionism (requiring perfection of the self) and socially prescribed perfectionism (believing others require perfection of the self). However, historically, the most widely used and researched measure of trait perfectionism in children, the Child-Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS), has omitted other-oriented perfectionism. In the present study, we address this by reporting on the multisource development and validation of the first self-report measure of other-oriented perfectionism specifically intended for youths: the Other-Oriented Perfectionism Subscale-Junior Form (OOPjr). Children (N = 107; M[subscript age] = 11.5, SD = 1.7) completed the OOPjr, CAPS, and measures of perfectionistic self-presentation, narcissism, social disconnection, depressive symptoms, and parental psychological control. Parents provided ratings of children's self-oriented, socially prescribed, and other-oriented perfectionism. Psychometric analyses indicated the OOPjr is a homogenous and internally reliable scale that, when factor analyzed alongside the CAPS, displays measurement invariance across gender and replicates the three-factor solution found in adults. Furthermore, parent ratings of other-oriented perfectionism showed unique positive relationships with OOPjr scores, but not CAPS scores. Likewise, other-oriented perfectionism had independent positive relationships with narcissistic superiority and achievement-oriented parental psychological control, after controlling for self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism. Overall, our findings provide preliminary support for the use of the OOPjr as a measure of other-oriented perfectionism in youths.

Temperament is a construct that is relatively stable over time but varies between individuals. Research suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder have a 'reactive' temperament profile when compared to peers with or without disabilities. However, our understanding of how temperament varies within children with autism and how it relates to child symptoms and outcomes is limited. This study aimed to: (1) explore the variation of individual temperament traits within a sample of school-aged children with autism to determine whether subgroups of children with similar trait profiles emerge; and (2) examine whether temperament influences the relationship between autism symptoms and adaptive functioning outcomes. Results revealed that children with autism can be classified empirically into two distinct profiles -- 'Even' and 'Reactive' temperaments. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses indicated that both temperament profiles and baseline symptom severity predicted adaptive functioning outcomes 1 year later. There was a significant interaction between temperament and symptom severity, suggesting temperament can influence the impact of increasing symptom severity on adaptive functioning skills in children with autism. Study findings highlight the importance of considering temperament in understanding the individual differences that influence the development of daily functioning and developmental outcomes in children with autism.

This study investigated rates of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal and/or self-injurious behaviour (SSIB) reported by parents on the Child Behavior Checklist for 178 children with ASD over four annual assessments (ages 7–11 years). Analyses examined the frequency and persistence of SI and SSIB, and the association of SI and SSIB at any time point with child characteristics and internalizing and externalizing problems at age 7. SI occurred in 9.6% of children and was associated with fewer ASD symptoms and better adaptive functioning at age 7. SSIB occurred in 14.6% and was associated with poorer adaptive functioning and more externalizing behaviour at age 7. Internalizing problems were not associated with SI or SSIB at any time point. SI and SSIB rarely co-occurred (4%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic youth are at heightened risk for mental health issues, and pandemic-related stressors may exacerbate this risk. This study (1) described caregiver-reported youth mental health prior to and during the pandemic; and (2) explored individual, caregiver, and environmental factors associated with changes in autistic characteristics, social-emotional symptoms, and overall mental health. 582 caregivers of autistic children (2-18 years old) completed an online survey between June and July 2020 in which they provided demographic information, their child's pre-COVID and current mental health, autistic characteristics, and social-emotional symptoms. Caregivers also rated their own perceived stress, and COVID-related household and service disruption. According to caregivers, youth experienced more autistic characteristics and social-emotional concerns during the pandemic. Autistic youth were also reported to experience poorer overall mental health during the pandemic than before the pandemic. Older youth whose caregiver's indicated higher perceived stress and greater household disruption were reported to experience more autistic traits during pandemic. Caregiver-reported increases in youth social-emotional symptoms (i.e., behavior problems, anxiety, and low mood) was associated with being older, the presence of a pre-existing mental health condition, higher caregiver stress, and greater household and service disruption. Finally, experiencing less household financial hardship prior to COVID-19, absence of a pre-existing psychiatric condition, less caregiver stress, and less service disruption were associated with better youth pandemic mental health. Strategies to support the autistic community during and following the pandemic need to be developed. The developmental-ecological factors identified in this study could help target support strategies to those autistic youth who are most vulnerable to mental health problems., (© 2023 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Importance: The prevalence and attributes of positive outcomes (or doing well) among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in midchildhood are not well known., Objective: To estimate the prevalence of doing well according to metrics of proficiency and growth and to investigate the extent to which significant associations exist between child- and family-level variables and doing well., Design, Setting, and Participants: This longitudinal cohort study included children with ASD from regional clinics across Canada. Participants were sampled 3 times between ages 2 and 4.9 years (T1) and twice in follow-up into middle childhood (T2). Data were analyzed March 2018 through January 2020., Exposures: Language and IQ assessments at first sample; household income, parent coping, and family functioning., Main Outcomes and Measures: Key outcome domains of developmental health included measures of socialization, communication, independent living skills, and measures of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Thresholds for doing well in these domains by either proficiency or growth were established. The extent to which language, IQ, household income, parent coping, and family functioning were associated with assessed outcomes was determined by logistic regression. The association between outcomes and concurrent Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) classification scores was also estimated., Results: In a total cohort of 272 children (234 [86.0%] boys; mean [SD] age, 10.76 [0.26] years), approximately 78.8% (95% CI, 73.2%-84.4%) of the sample were estimated to be doing well by either metric on at least 1 domain, and 23.6% (95% CI, 17.7%-29.4%) were doing well in 4 or 5 domains. It was possible to be doing well by either proficiency or growth and still meet ADOS criteria for ASD. For the growth metric, between 61.5% (95% CI, 40.7%-79.1%) and 79.6% (95% CI, 66.0%-88.9%) of participants had ADOS scores of 4 or greater; for the proficiency metric, between 63.8% (95% CI, 48.4%-76.9%) and 75.8% (95% CI, 63.0%-85.4%) had scores of 4 or greater. Doing well by either metric for all domains was associated with T1 scores on that outcome domain (eg, T1 daily living skills associated with doing well at T2 daily living by the proficiency metric as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Second Edition daily living skills scale [202 participants]: β = 0.07; OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03-1.11; P < .001). Doing well in socialization by the growth metric was also associated with better T1 language skills scores (202 participants) (β = 0.04; OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.07, P = .04). Doing well in externalizing by the growth metric was also associated with higher household income at T1 (178 participants) (β = 0.10; OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.06-1.15; P < .001). Better family functioning at T1 was associated with doing well on both socialization and externalizing by proficiency metric and on internalizing by growth metric (socialization by proficiency [202 participants]: β = -1.01; OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14-0.93; P = .04; externalizing by proficiency [178 participants]: β = 1.00; OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.16-0.82; P = .02; internalizing by growth [178 participants]: β = -1.03; OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.79; P = .01)., Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found that a substantial proportion of children with ASD were doing well by middle childhood in at least 1 key domain of developmental health, and that doing well was possible even in the context of continuing to meet criteria for ASD. These results support a strengths-based approach to treatment planning that should include robust support for families to increase the potential likelihood of doing well later in life.