Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher rates of depressive symptoms, and parental depressive symptoms are strongly associated with problem behaviors in children. However, the direction of effect between parental depression and child behavior problems is unclear. Additionally, the mechanisms through which parental depression contributes to child behavior problems and vice versa are not well understood. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems among families of children with ASD; more specifically to investigate as mediating variables that may explain the mechanisms through which parental depression and child behavior problems are associated as well the temporal relationship between these two variables. The sample consisted of 33 parents of children with ASD (ages 2 to 5 years old). Findings suggested that authoritative parenting style significantly mediated the relationship between parental depression and behavior problems. However, cross-lagged panel analyses did not support a transactional relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems. This study highlights the importance of considering parental mental health and its impact on parenting behavior in interventions targeting child behavior problems.
","abstract_html":"<p>Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher rates of depressive symptoms, and parental depressive symptoms are strongly associated with problem behaviors in children. However, the direction of effect between parental depression and child behavior problems is unclear. Additionally, the mechanisms through which parental depression contributes to child behavior problems and vice versa are not well understood. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems among families of children with ASD; more specifically to investigate as mediating variables that may explain the mechanisms through which parental depression and child behavior problems are associated as well the temporal relationship between these two variables. The sample consisted of 33 parents of children with ASD (ages 2 to 5 years old). Findings suggested that authoritative parenting style significantly mediated the relationship between parental depression and behavior problems. However, cross-lagged panel analyses did not support a transactional relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems. This study highlights the importance of considering parental mental health and its impact on parenting behavior in interventions targeting child behavior problems.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Xu, Yangmu"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Neece, Cameron L.","Freeman, Kimberly R.","Morrell, Holly E. R."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:27Z","subjects":["Child Psychology","Clinical Psychology","Experimental Analysis of Behavior","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Child Behavior Disorders; Depression; Parent-Child Relations; Parents - Psychology; Adaptation - Psychological; Regression Analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies","Autism Spectrum Disorder; Parenting Style;"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/278","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Neece, Cameron L.","Freeman, Kimberly R.","Morrell, Holly E. 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The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/278"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher rates of depressive symptoms, and parental depressive symptoms are strongly associated with problem behaviors in children. However, the direction of effect between parental depression and child behavior problems is unclear. Additionally, the mechanisms through which parental depression contributes to child behavior problems and vice versa are not well understood. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems among families of children with ASD; more specifically to investigate as mediating variables that may explain the mechanisms through which parental depression and child behavior problems are associated as well the temporal relationship between these two variables. The sample consisted of 33 parents of children with ASD (ages 2 to 5 years old). Findings suggested that authoritative parenting style significantly mediated the relationship between parental depression and behavior problems. However, cross-lagged panel analyses did not support a transactional relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems. This study highlights the importance of considering parental mental health and its impact on parenting behavior in interventions targeting child behavior problems.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Parental Depression and Child Behavior Problems: A Closer Examination"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Neece, Cameron L.","Freeman, Kimberly R.","Morrell, Holly E. R."],"dc:creator":["Xu, Yangmu"],"dc:description.abstract":["Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher rates of depressive symptoms, and parental depressive symptoms are strongly associated with problem behaviors in children. However, the direction of effect between parental depression and child behavior problems is unclear. Additionally, the mechanisms through which parental depression contributes to child behavior problems and vice versa are not well understood. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems among families of children with ASD; more specifically to investigate as mediating variables that may explain the mechanisms through which parental depression and child behavior problems are associated as well the temporal relationship between these two variables. The sample consisted of 33 parents of children with ASD (ages 2 to 5 years old). Findings suggested that authoritative parenting style significantly mediated the relationship between parental depression and behavior problems. However, cross-lagged panel analyses did not support a transactional relationship between parental depression and child behavior problems. This study highlights the importance of considering parental mental health and its impact on parenting behavior in interventions targeting child behavior problems.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/278"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Child Psychology","Clinical Psychology","Experimental Analysis of Behavior","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Child Behavior Disorders; Depression; Parent-Child Relations; Parents - Psychology; Adaptation - Psychological; Regression Analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies","Autism Spectrum Disorder; Parenting Style;"],"dc:title":["Parental Depression and Child Behavior Problems: A Closer Examination"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:27Z"}