Some moms of autistic kids prone to depression

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Mothers of children with autism may be prone to depression if they feel responsible for the cause or outcome of their child's disorder, a new study suggests.

Autism is a developmental brain disorder that impairs, to varying degrees, a person's use of language and ability to communicate, interact socially and form relationships. While its cause is not completely understood, genetic vulnerability plays a role. And "bad" parenting definitely does not.

Still, with so many questions surrounding autism -- its exact cause, the difficulty in diagnosing the disorder or predicting how well a child will do -- parents constantly deal with uncertainties. Such ambiguity may leave some mothers vulnerable to depression, according to the new study, published in the journal Family Relations.

Specifically, mothers with high levels of "identity ambiguity" -- which included blaming themselves for their child's autism and holding themselves responsible for their outcomes -- reported more depressive symptoms and feelings of stress.

"One of the big messages here is that mothers are not to blame," said study author Dr. Marion O'Brien, director of the Family Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

And while mothers can push for better services for their autistic children, O'Brien told Reuters Health, they shouldn't hold themselves personally responsible for their children's ultimate outcomes, which vary widely from child to child.

"Mothers, by themselves, cannot determine the long-term outcome," she said.

O'Brien based her findings on interviews with 63 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders, which range from autism to Asperger syndrome, a condition marked by much milder behavioral impairments.