Early adversity, positive parenting and resilience: Predicting cognitive outcomes in children with ASD

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Background: One in sixty-six children in Canada are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Symptoms of ASD include difficulties in communication, social interaction as well as stereotypic behaviours. Children with ASD are statistically more likely to experience early adversity. Little is known how this early life stress impacts cognitive outcomes. Furthermore, the role of a nurturing parental relationship in offsetting the effects of childhood adversity and promoting resilience has yet to be explored among this population.
Objectives: Our primary goal was to determine types of adversity children with ASD were most likely to experience compared to typically-developing (TD) children. We then wanted to examine cognitive outcomes based on the frequency of early adverse events. Additionally, the role of positive parenting as a protective factor for children was investigated.
Methods: Data was analysed from a large, heterogeneous sample (n=238, ASD = 82) of children ages 6 – 16 years old with and without ASD. To examine early adversity, the Negative Life Events Scale (NLES) was administered to parents. A cluster analysis was applied to the NLES data to identify latent variables describing adversity. Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to examine the association of early life stress with ASD diagnosis and various areas of cognition as measured by the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V). The mediating effects of parenting were measured using the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ), adjusting for age, sex and socioeconomic status (SES).

Results: A hierarchical cluster analysis of the NLES items revealed two main factors: relational stressors (i.e., parents or siblings very upset by the child’s actions, having a sibling in serious trouble) and environmental stressors (i.e., loss of a parent’s job, serious financial difficulties, changing schools). These were used as dependent variables in the subsequent GLMs, while primary diagnosis group, sex, age and SES were predictor variables. A significant main effect for group (X2 = 4.103, p < .05) and age was found (X2= 3.990, p = .046) whereby children with ASD (B=.469, p = .043) experienced an increased incidence of relational stressors than the TD group. We subsequently examined the interaction between negative life events and parenting, finding that positive parenting was associated with a significant decrease in the number of relational early life stress events for both children with ASD and TD children (both, p < .05). Examining the relationship between adversity and cognitive outcomes, only young children (6-11 years) with ASD had lower FSIQ scores if they had increased environmental stressors (B = -10.446, p= .021) while the FSIQ scores in TD and ASD adolescents (12-16 years) were not significantly impacted (all, p > .05).

Conclusions: Children with ASD may be at higher risk for relational adversity than their TD peers. However, all children benefit from positive parenting styles which can mitigate the adverse effects of relational early life stress. Meanwhile, environmental stressors may be a significant predictor of cognitive outcomes in young children with ASD. Further research should examine the relationship between ASD symptomology, mental health and cognition.

Authors

• Elizabeth Kuenzel, University of Western Ontario
  Presenting Author

• Diane Seguin, University of Western Ontario
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rob Nicolson, Western University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emma Gail Duerden, Western University
  Non-Presenting Author