Parental psychopathology, family conflict, brain function, and child autistic-like traits in early adolescents.

This study of over 8,500 families found that parents with ADHD symptoms were more likely to have children showing autistic-like traits two years later. The link was partly explained by increased family conflict and differences in how children's brains processed attention. This suggests that addressing parental ADHD and family stress might help support children's social development.

This large longitudinal study of 8,571 adolescents examined relationships between parental mental health symptoms and child autistic-like traits over two years. Using network analysis and multiple autism measures, researchers found that parental ADHD symptoms were the strongest predictor of child autistic-like traits at follow-up. The association was partially mediated by family conflict (11.5%) and brain connectivity patterns between attention networks (0.7%). Results remained significant even when accounting for children's other behavioral problems, suggesting a specific relationship between parental ADHD and offspring autistic traits during early adolescence.

Results suggest screening for parental ADHD in families with autistic children, implementing family-based interventions to reduce conflict, and considering attention-focused therapeutic approaches. Early identification and treatment of parental ADHD may help reduce risk for developing autistic-like traits in offspring.

Study relied on parent-report measures which may introduce bias. Causality cannot be established despite longitudinal design. Brain connectivity mediation effect was small (0.7%). Generalizability to clinical autism populations unclear.

Parental psychopathology is a known risk factor for child autistic-like traits. However, symptom-level associations and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We utilized network analyses and cross-lagged panel models to investigate the specific parental psychopathology related to child autistic-like traits among 8,571 adolescents (mean age, 9.5 years at baseline), using baseline and 2-year follow-up data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Parental psychopathology was measured by the Adult Self Report, and child autistic-like traits were measured by three methods: the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for DSM-5 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) subscale, the Child Behavior Checklist ASD subscale, and the Social Responsiveness Scale.

We also examined the mediating roles of family conflict and children's functional brain connectivity at baseline. Parental attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems were central symptoms and had a direct and the strongest link with child autistic-like traits in network models using baseline data. In longitudinal analyses, parental attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems at baseline were the only significant symptoms associated with child autistic-like traits at 2-year follow-up ( = 0.014, 95% confidence interval [0.010, 0.018], FDR = 0.005), even accounting for children's comorbid behavioral problems. The observed association was significantly mediated by family conflict (proportion mediated = 11.5%,for indirect effect <0.001) and functional connectivity between the default mode and dorsal attention networks (proportion mediated = 0.7%,for indirect effect = 0.047).

Parental attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems were associated with elevated autistic-like traits in offspring during adolescence.