Torres Andy, Morales Francis, Nguyen-Finn Kim L, Mercado Alfonso
Department of Psychological Science, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX, 78539, USA.
School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX, 78539, USA.
J Behav Health Serv Res. 2023 Apr;50(2):181-193. doi: 10.1007/s11414-022-09818-z. Epub 2022 Sep 12.
Caretakers to children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) experience more emotional distress compared to community control samples. Risk factors for poorer mental health among this population include symptom severity and an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. This study aimed to ascertain a relationship between NDD severity and caretakers' mental health. It was hypothesized that co-occurrence of multiple diagnoses would predict higher anxiety and depressive symptomatology and suicidality. Data was collected from a sample of 93 Latinx caregivers to a child or adult with at least one NDD. Multiple NDDs predicted higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to the symptom severity endorsed by caregivers to those with a single NDD diagnosis, but did not predict increased suicidality endorsement. Because caregivers to those with multiple NDDs are at an elevated risk for depression and anxiety, clinicians should consider screening for internalizing disorders in caregivers when treating individual with an NDD.
与社区对照样本相比，神经发育障碍（NDDs）儿童和成人的照料者经历更多的情绪困扰。该人群心理健康较差的风险因素包括症状严重程度和自闭症谱系障碍诊断。本研究旨在确定NDD严重程度与照料者心理健康之间的关系。研究假设多种诊断同时出现会预示更高的焦虑、抑郁症状及自杀倾向。数据收集自93名拉丁裔照料者样本，这些照料者负责照顾至少患有一种NDD的儿童或成人。与照料单一NDD诊断患者的照料者所认可的症状严重程度相比，多种NDD预示着更高水平的焦虑和抑郁，但并未预示自杀倾向认可度的增加。由于患有多种NDD患者的照料者患抑郁症和焦虑症的风险较高，临床医生在治疗患有NDD的个体时，应考虑对照料者进行内化性障碍筛查。
