Daily Couple Experiences and Parent Affect in Families of Children with Versus Without Autism.
Sigan L Hartley, Leann Smith DaWalt, Haley M Schultz
PMID 28275928WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of children with autism reported less daily time with their partner and fewer positive couple interactions.
Fathers felt less close. Partner support and negative interactions did not differ. They also began the diary with lower positive and higher negative affect.
Key findings
01Parents of children with ASD reported less daily time with partner, fathers reported less partner closeness, and both parents reported fewer positive couple interactions than comparison parents; partner support and negative couple interactions did not differ.
02Parents of children with ASD reported lower initial positive affect and higher initial negative affect than comparison parents.
03On individual days, more negative couple interactions were linked to less positive affect and more negative affect, while more positive couple interactions were linked to more positive affect and less negative affect; partner closeness was also linked to more positive affect, and some links were stronger in parents of children with ASD.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was mostly Caucasian, non-Hispanic and well-educated, so it may not apply to more diverse families. All information came from parent report, so the same person's mood or expectations could shape the ratings. The study measured associations over 14 days, not cause and effect. The paper did not test any therapy or support programme.
Declared interests
Authors Hartley, Smith, and Schultz declared no conflict of interest. The supplied text does not report a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that having a child with autism causes poor couple relationships. The study compared groups at one 14-day period, found no difference in partner support or negative interactions, and cannot show cause.