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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
psychology
Mapping the link between socio-economic factors, autistic traits and mental health across different settings
Autism, Year 2023
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Description
Autistic individuals experience higher rates of externalising and internalising symptoms that may vary with environmental factors. However, there is limited research on variation across settings that may highlight common factors with globally generalisable effects. Data were taken from two cohorts: a multinational European sample (n = 764; 453 autistic; 311 non-autistic; 6–30 years), and a South African sample (n = 100 non-autistic; 3–11 years). An exploratory factor analysis aggregated clinical (Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Index), adaptive traits (Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale) and socio-economic variables (parental employment and education, home and family characteristics) in each cohort separately. With regression, we investigated the effect of these factors and autistic traits on internalising and externalising scores (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Cohorts showed similar four-factor structures (Person Characteristics, Family System, Parental and Material Resources). The ‘Family System’ factor captured family size and maternal factors and was associated with lower internalising and externalising symptoms in both cohorts. In the European cohort, high autistic traits reduced this effect; the opposite was found in the South Africa cohort. Our exploratory findings from two separate analyses represent consistent evidence that Family System is associated with internalising and externalising symptoms, with a context-specific impact in persons with high autism traits. Lay Abstract: Autistic individuals are more likely than non-autistic individuals to experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, and this includes externalising and internalising symptoms. We know very little about how different environments and family conditions impact these symptoms for autistic individuals. Improving our understanding of these relationships is important so that we can identify individuals who may be in greater need of support. In this article, we seek to improve our understanding of how environmental and family conditions impact externalising and internalising symptoms in autistic and non-autistic people. To do this, we conducted analyses with two cohorts in very different settings – in Europe and South Africa – to ensure our findings are globally representative. We used advanced statistical methods to establish environmental and family conditions that were similar to each other, and which could be combined into specific ‘factors’. We found that four similar ‘factors’ could be identified in the two cohorts. These were distinguished by personal characteristics and environmental conditions of individuals, and were named Person Characteristics, Family System, Parental and Material Resources. Interestingly, just ‘Family System’ was associated with internalising and externalising symptoms, and this was the same in both cohorts. We also found that having high traits of autism impacted this relationship between Family System and mental health conditions with opposite directions in the two settings. These results show that characteristics in the Family System are associated with internalising and externalising symptoms, and autistic persons are particularly impacted, reinforcing the notion that family stressors are important to consider when implementing policy and practice related to improving the mental health of autistic people. © The Author(s) 2023.
Authors & Co-Authors
Tillmann, Julian
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
Switzerland, Basel
F. Hoffmann-la Roche ag
Crawley, Daisy
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
San José Cáceres, Antonia
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
Spain, Madrid
Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón
Hayward, Hannah L.
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
Potter, Mandy D.
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Du Plessis, Carlie
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Brink, Lucy T.
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Springer, Priscilla Estelle
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Odendaal, Hendrik J.
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Charman, Tony
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
Banaschewski, Tobias J.
Germany, Heidelberg
Universität Heidelberg
Baron-Cohen, Simon
United Kingdom, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Bölte, Sven
Sweden, Stockholm
Karolinska Institutet
Johnson, Mark H.
United Kingdom, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Murphy, Declan G.M.
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
Buitelaar, Jan K.
Netherlands, Nijmegen
Radboud Universiteit
Loth, Eva
United Kingdom, London
King's College London
Statistics
Authors: 17
Affiliations: 10
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1177/13623613231200297
ISSN:
13623613
Research Areas
Disability
Health System And Policy
Maternal And Child Health
Mental Health
Study Design
Cohort Study
Exploratory Study
Study Locations
South Africa