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Autism Severity and Qualities of Parent–Child Relations

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine how severity of autism affects children’s interactions (relatedness) and relationships with their parents. Participants were 25 parent–child dyads that included offspring who were children with autism aged from 4 to 14 years. The severity of the children’s autism was assessed using the calibrated severity metric of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Gotham et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 39:693–705, 2009). Parent–child dyads were videotaped in 10-min semi-structured play interactions, and qualities of interpersonal relatedness were rated with the Dyadic Coding Scales (Humber and Moss in Am J Orthopsychiatr 75(1):128–141, 2005). Quality of relationships between parents and children were evaluated with a parent self-report measure, the Parent Child Relationship Inventory (Gerard in Parent–Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) manual. WPS, Los Angeles, 1994). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that severity of autism was inversely related to patterns of parent–child interaction but not to reported quality of parent–child relationship. We consider the implications for thinking about relatedness and relationships among children with autism, and opportunities for intervention.

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Acknowledgments

NB acknowledges the support of her dissertation committee members in carrying out the work, with appreciation to Dr. Magy Martin, Dr. Rodney Ford, and Dr. Andrea Miller. We are deeply grateful to the parents and their children who took part in this project. JH and RPH gratefully acknowledge the Foundation for Autism Research and Remediation (FARR) for grant support that enabled the authors to provide consultation to NB during her dissertation, coding on the DCS variables, and preparation of the manuscript for dissemination. We also thank Fionnuala Larkin and Joanna Shepherd for their assistance with coding. We thank the Tavistock Clinic NHS and Portman Trust for the opportunity to spend a sabbatical at the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences where this paper was completed.

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  1. Horizons Developmental Resource Center, 3120 68th Street SE, Caledonia, MI, 49316, USA

    Nicole M. Beurkens

  2. Institute of Child Health, University Collge London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1 EH, UK

    Jessica A. Hobson & R. Peter Hobson

  3. Tavistock Clinic, 120 Belsize Lane, London, NW3 5BA, UK

    Jessica A. Hobson & R. Peter Hobson

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  1. Nicole M. Beurkens
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Correspondence to Nicole M. Beurkens.

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Beurkens, N.M., Hobson, J.A. & Hobson, R.P. Autism Severity and Qualities of Parent–Child Relations. J Autism Dev Disord 43, 168–178 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1562-4

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