(PS11-C75) The Impact of Child Problem Behavior on Caregiver Depressive Cognitions Among Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Depressive cognitions are a set of negative thinking patterns that may precede depression. Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are prone to depression and psychological problems, poorer self-rated health and quality of life, anxiety, anger, and fatigue. Resilience may not only assist in day-to-day stress, but also help caregivers overcome the long-term burden associated with caregiving for a child with ASD (VanBreda, 2001). Depressive cognitions among caregivers of children with ASD may be important for improving family functioning and caregiver health. Caregiver resilience may buffer the effect of child behavioral problems on caregiver depressive cognitions. 

Participants included 267 caregivers of a child with autism, and 91 caregivers of typically developing (TD) children, between 2 and 12 years old,  Caregivers of children with ASD were recruited online through the Interactive Autism Network (IAN), and caregivers of typically developing children were recruited through Amazon MTurk. All caregivers completed self-report measures through Qualtrics. 

Hayes PROCESS model 1 evaluated the moderating role of caregiver resilience on the relationships between child behavior problems and caregiver depressive cognitions in the two samples.  The moderation model was significant for caregivers of children with ASD only. The total model was significant and accounted for approximately 33% of the variance in caregiver depressive cognitions (R² = .33, SE = 35.52, p < .001). Caregiver depressive cognitions were significantly related to child behavioral problems (B = .983, SE = .37, p < .01). The interaction of child problem behaviors and caregiver resilience on caregiver depressive cognitions was negative and statistically significant (B = -0.016, SE = 0.007, p = 0.037). When controlling for potential confounds (i.e., caregiver education, ethnicity, and marital status), there was a stronger relationship between child behavioral problems and caregiver depressive cognitions (R² = .01, F = 4.37, p =.038) for caregivers with lower levels of resilience compared to those with higher levels of resilience. However, among caregivers of typically developing (TD), child behavior problems were not significantly related with caregiver depressive cognitions.

Resilience serves an important role in the relationship between child behavior problems and caregiver depressive cognitions for caregivers of children with ASD. This finding highlights the importance of emphasizing, assessing, and supporting resilience among caregivers of children with ASD. Interventions addressing child behavioral concerns would benefit from additional components to bolster caregiver resilience to enhance caregiver mental health and protect again depressive cognitions.