This dissertation, "An Exploratory Study on the Relationship Among the Child's Social Competence, Parenting Stress and Maternal Emotional Styles for Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Shu-kay, Ngan, 顏書琪, was obtained from The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong) and is being sold pursuant to Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation. All rights not granted by the above license are retained by the author. Abstract: Previous research has been interested in studying parental emotion socialization practices in parents of typically developing (TD) children. The current study aimed to explore such practices among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Seventy-eight families participated in this study. Self-reported rating scales were adopted to measure the child's social competence, parenting stress and maternal emotional styles. As hypothesized, results showed significantly different patterns in maternal emotional styles between mothers of children with ASD and those with TD children. However, inconsistent to our hypothesis, the maternal emotional styles were found to be neither related to child's social competence nor parenting stress within the ASD group. Implications of findings on future research and practice are discussed. DOI: 10.5353/th_b5394316 Subjects: Children with autism spectrum disorders - Psychology Parents of autistic children - Psychology Social skills in children

All parents experience stress as they attempt to meet the challenges of caring for their children. This comprehensive book examines the causes and consequences of parenting distress, drawing on a wide array of findings in current empirical research. Kirby Deater-Deckard explores normal and pathological parenting stress, the influences of parents on their children as well as children on their parents, and the effects of biological and environmental factors. Beginning with an overview of theories of stress and coping, Deater-Deckard goes on to describe how parenting stress is linked with problems in adult and child health (emotional problems, developmental disorders, illness); parental behaviors (warmth, harsh discipline); and factors outside the family (marital quality, work roles, cultural influences). The book concludes with a useful review of coping strategies and interventions that have been demonstrated to alleviate parenting stress.

Little research has examined the quality of family relationships in the context of having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The overarching goal of my dissertation research was to better understand the emotional quality of the parent-child and parent couple relationships in families of children with ASD. Drawing from a sample of 188 families of a child with ASD who were followed over 4 time points, spaced 12 months apart, the three dissertation studies incorporated measures of Warmth and Criticism from Five Minute Speech Samples to measure family emotional relationship quality. The first study examined the association between actor and partner level of parenting stress and depressive symptoms and the emotional quality of the parent-child relationship. Results indicated actor effects for mothers and fathers and a partner effect of level of mother parenting stress on father Warmth. The second study determined how emotional quality across family subsystems (mother-child, father-child, and parent couple) combined to create various subtypes of family emotional climate. Five family emotional quality subtypes were found: Family Resilient, Couple Distressed, Mother Distressed with Partner, Family Distressed, and Mother Distressed - Father Resilient. Parent level of broader autism phenotype and child behavior problems were associated with subtype membership. The third and final study determined the direction of effects between Warmth and Criticism in the parent-child relationship in mothers and fathers and the child's severity of ASD symptoms and behavior problems. Results indicated bidirectional effects between child functioning and the emotional quality of the mother-child relationship and effects of child functioning on the emotional quality of the father-child relationship. Overall, findings indicate that the mother-child and father-child relationship are both impacted by parent psychological well-being in families of children with ASD; however, the emotional quality of family subsystems differ for mothers and fathers. Further, positive and negative emotional aspects of the parent-child relationship are impactful, but differently. Finally, at a family level, there is marked variability in emotional quality of family subsystems.

The aim of the book is to serve for clinical, practical, basic and scholarly practices. In twentyfive chapters it covers the most important topics related to Autism Spectrum Disorders in the efficient way and aims to be useful for health professionals in training or clinicians seeking an update. Different people with autism can have very different symptoms. Autism is considered to be a "spectrum" disorder, a group of disorders with similar features. Some people may experience merely mild disturbances, while the others have very serious symptoms. This book is aimed to be used as a textbook for child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training and will serve as a reference for practicing psychologists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, general psychiatrists, pediatricians, child neurologists, nurses, social workers and family physicians. A free access to the full-text electronic version of the book via Intech reading platform at http://www.intechweb.org is a great bonus.

The fifth edition of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Advancing Positive Practices in Education provides readers with a comprehensive and accessible understanding of current research and evidence-based practices in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), linking research, theory, and practice. This new edition includes new chapters on trauma and co-morbidity, current trends in autism research, social media, neurodiversity, and aging in people with ASD. It also features updated content on international contexts and culturally sustaining and relevant practices. Aligned with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, this text continues to be critical reading for students and researchers in special and inclusive education programs.