Family accommodation (FA) describes the behaviors in which family members of individuals with obsessive‒compulsive disorder (OCD) tend to modify their own routines and rituals in an attempt to help them avoid the distress caused by symptoms or prevent them from engaging in compulsive rituals. This study investigated the incidence and factors related to FA among parents of Chinese pediatric and adolescent patients with OCD. The participants included 88 young people with OCD and their parents who completed clinician- and self-reported measures. Multiple linear regression was employed to examine factors related to FA, and mediation analysis was conducted to examine the role of accommodation levels in the relationships among symptom severity, level of insight, and functional impairment. All parents reported at least one FA per week, with approximately 60
Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder, yet their distinct impacts on adaptive functioning remain unclear. Adaptive functioning, including communication, socialization, and daily living skills, is critical for quality of life in autistic children. Here we performed exploratory factor analysis of the Repetitive Behavior Scale–Revised in 167 autistic children aged 3–12 years, identifying three RRB subtypes: sameness/ritualistic/restricted behaviors, stereotypic/self-injurious behaviors, and compulsive behaviors. In primary models adjusting for age and sex, sameness/ritualistic/restricted behaviors predicted lower socialization, whereas stereotypic/self-injurious behaviors predicted lower communication and daily living skills. In a sensitivity analysis additionally adjusting for IQ, in the subset of children with available cognitive data, only sameness/ritualistic/restricted behaviors remained a significant predictor across all three domains. These findings suggest that not all RRB subtypes are equally associated with adaptive functioning, underscoring the need to differentiate RRBs when designing interventions. Understanding subtype-specific associations may guide strategies that address behaviors hindering adaptive outcomes while considering those with potential regulatory functions.
Living with an Autistic sibling presents unique challenges for their siblings. Previous literature reports increased psychiatric problems in siblings of autistic probands, but other areas of functioning remain underexplored at the population-level. This study investigates whether these siblings have different rates of mental disorders, hospitalized suicide attempts, psychotropic medication prescriptions, physical health burden, and educational outcomes against siblings of Down Syndrome probands and siblings of individuals without neurodevelopmental disorders (Neurotypical). Using population-based administrative data, three longitudinal matched cohorts evaluated outcomes over a 10-24-year follow-up. After accounting for covariates, siblings of autistic probands (N = 5,409) evidenced increased risk of all mental disorders except substance use disorder versus siblings of Neurotypical probands (N = 328,015), and increased risk of select disorders versus siblings of Down Syndrome probands (N = 3,952). Siblings of autistic probands were more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medications than either comparator and more likely to experience developmental delays than siblings of Neurotypical probands.
This study explores the role of family, peer, and school connectedness for the well-being of Spanish LGBTIQ+ adolescents. Data was collected in 2024 using a non-probability sampling strategy (114 panel participants, with 175 via snowball sampling) with 289 respondents (Mage = 15.86, SD = 0.97, Range = 14–17). Two cross-sectional structural equation models (SEM) were conducted to test whether depressive symptoms and loneliness statistically mediate the associations between connectedness and several mental health outcomes. Measures included the Social Connectedness Scale, PHQ-9, Paykel Suicide Scale, and single-item indicators of loneliness and well-being. Higher connectedness with family (β = −0.32), friends (β = −0.17), and school (β = −0.17) were associated with lower depressive symptoms, which showed a strong positive association with suicidal ideation/behavior (β = 0.57). The direct associations between connectedness and suicidal ideation/behavior were no longer significant when depression was included in the model. Higher connectedness with friends (β = −0.47) and family (β = −0.14) was associated with lower loneliness, which was negatively associated with well-being (β = −0.30). School connectedness remained directly associated with well-being (β = 0.29). These results highlight the importance of targeted strategies to improve social support networks for LGBTIQ+ adolescents, providing valuable insights for interventions aimed at improving their quality of life.
Trauma exposure is common in young people and is associated with anxiety, depression, and other mental health difficulties. Parents play an important role in supporting their child’s recovery following a potentially traumatic event, yet evidence-based guidance for trauma-informed parenting remains limited. This study used a Delphi methodology to establish expert consensus on parenting strategies for young people aged 5–18 years experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms following a traumatic event. A panel of 38 predominantly Australian clinicians and researchers with expertise in trauma, youth mental health, and parenting rated 166 candidate strategies across three survey rounds for their importance in supporting young people’s post-trauma mental health. Ninety-four strategies (56.6
