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Family Accommodation in Autism Spectrum Disorder

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Definition

Ways in which family members, mostly parents, modify their behavior to help a child avoid or alleviate distress and negative affect associated with mental health problems (Lebowitz and Bloch 2012; Lebowitz et al. 2014).

Historical Background

A sizable body of literature indicates that family accommodation is common among families of children with obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) and anxiety disorders. Such accommodation is associated with both proximal and distal negative outcomes. High levels of family accommodation in these populations are associated with increased severity of anxiety or OCD symptoms, poorer psychosocial functioning, and elevated parental distress (Caporino et al. 2012; Lebowitz and Bloch 2012; Lebowitz et al. 2013, 2014; Storch et al. 2007). Additionally, higher levels of family accommodation are predictive of poorer subsequent response to treatment in children with OCD and anxiety disorders (Lebowitz et al. 2016; Kagan et al. 2016). These findings...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seymour Fox School of Education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Judah Koller

  2. Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Eli R. Lebowitz

Authors
  1. Judah Koller
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  2. Eli R. Lebowitz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Judah Koller .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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Koller, J., Lebowitz, E.R. (2020). Family Accommodation in Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102436-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102436-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6435-8

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