(PS10-A15) Relationship Conflict and Depressive Symptoms in Couples: The Moderating Role of the Broad Autism Phenotype

The link between relationship conflict and depression has been a prominent focus of research given its broad social impact. Although there is substantial empirical support for a bi-directional association between conflict and depression among couples broadly (Coyne, et al., 2002; Ellison et al., 2016), few studies have assessed this association among parents with a child on the autism spectrum. Further, individual characteristics that may moderate the conflict-depression link are not well understood, such as Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP; i.e., milder, but qualitatively similar forms of autism characteristics), which is often elevated in parents of children on the autism spectrum. The present study tested the bi-directional relation between relationship conflict and depressive symptoms in parents of a child on the autism spectrum and assess BAP as a moderator of this relation using a longitudinal, multimethod design. We hypothesized that there would be a negative bi-directional association between relationship conflict and depressive symptoms, both concurrently and longitudinally. We also hypothesized this relation would be stronger in couples where partner(s) demonstrated higher levels of BAP. Participants were 117 couples (89.1% married, M_length = 16.90 years, SD = 5.85) with a child on the autism spectrum who were recruited to participate in a study about family dynamics. Couples completed an in-lab conflict interaction, which was observationally coded; self- and partner- reports of relationship conflict; and self-reports of their own depressive symptoms and BAP. Covariates included child autism characteristics, child externalizing symptoms, and relationship satisfaction. Results based on path models indicated that there was a significant negative association between T1 husband depressive symptoms and T2 relationship conflict, b = -0.01, SE = 0.004, p = .007, B = -0.16, such that higher depressive symptoms were associated with lower relationship conflict six months later. BAP significantly moderated the link between wives’ T1 relationship conflict and concurrent depressive symptoms, b = -5.39, SE = 2.06, p = .009, B = -0.22, such that at lower levels of relationship conflict, wives with higher BAP reported higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to those with lower BAP. These findings are partially consistent with hypotheses and previous research linking relationship conflict with depressive symptoms, and the BAP with poor relationship outcomes. This study is the first to provide evidence for BAP as a contextual factor that moderates the association between relationship conflict and depressive symptoms. These findings provide important implications for intervening with couples raising a child on the autism spectrum.