Change in Autism Symptoms and Maladaptive Behaviors in Adolescence and Adulthood: The Role of Positive Family Processes

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 111 - 126
• Main Authors: Woodman, Ashley C., Smith, Leann E., Greenberg, Jan S., Mailick, Marsha R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.01.2015; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acting Out; Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Age Differences; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aggression - psychology; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Behavior Change; Behavior Problems; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Care and treatment; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - complications; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - diagnosis; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - epidemiology; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - psychology; Demographic aspects; Female; Gender Differences; Humans; Language Skills; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Massachusetts - epidemiology; Mental disorders; Middle Aged; Mother-Child Relations - psychology; Mothers; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Parent Child Relationship; Parent Influence; Patient outcomes; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Positive Reinforcement; Predictor Variables; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Psychology; Public Health; Risk Factors; Self-Injurious Behavior - complications; Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology; Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology; Severity (of Disability); Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Treatment outcome; Wisconsin - epidemiology; Young Adult; United States; Autism; Mother–child relationship quality; Praise; Maladaptive behaviors; Autism symptoms
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2199-2

Little is known about outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) into adulthood. Several characteristics of individuals with ASD predict long-term outcomes, and the family environment may also play a role. The present study uses a prospective, longitudinal design to describe and predict trajectories of autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors over 8.5 years in a large, community-based sample of adolescents and adults with ASD. Overall, autism symptoms and maladaptive behaviors were observed to improve over the study period. Above and beyond the adult’s gender, age, and level of intellectual disability, greater improvements were associated with higher levels of maternal praise (based on maternal speech samples) and higher quality mother–child relationships. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.