Family Accommodation in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Pediatric Psychiatry

Background:

• Family accommodation is prevalent in pediatric obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders, linked to poorer outcomes.
• This study is the first to investigate family accommodation of restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the prevalence and characteristics of family accommodation of RRBs in children with ASD.
• To determine the relationship between parental accommodation and the severity of RRBs in children with ASD.

Main Methods:

• Parents of 86 children with ASD completed questionnaires.
• Assessments included children's RRBs and parental accommodation of these symptoms.

Main Results:

• 80% of parents reported monthly accommodation of their child's RRBs.
• Family accommodation was significantly positively correlated with RRB severity.

Conclusions:

• Family accommodation of RRBs in ASD appears to follow patterns observed in anxiety-related disorders.
• Findings suggest potential targets for parent-based interventions in ASD.