Robert Locklear: Mothers of teens with autism report higher levels of stress, but optimism can be a buffer

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Mothers of teens with autism report higher levels of stress, but optimism can be a buffer

Researchers found that mothers of teenagers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability (ID) reported higher levels of stress and other negative psychological symptoms – think depression or anxiety – than mothers of teenagers with typical development (TD). Those levels climbed even higher when teenagers with ASD or ID also showed signs of clinical-level disruptive behavior disorders.