Relationship of Parental Alexithymia and Neglect with Healthy Children s Maladjustment in Families with and Without Autistic Children

Background: Family factors predict the incidence of developmental incompatibilities and psychological disorders. Moreover, having a child with autism can be an overwhelming experience for some families. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the role of neglect and alexithymia in parents with or without an autistic child on the maladjustment level of their healthy children. Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, two groups of families with (n = 16) and without (n = 16) an autistic child in the cities of Zahedan and Birjand were selected by the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Child Abuse Questionnaire (self-report scale), and Rutter s Child Behavior Disorders Questionnaire (parent form), which were then analyzed using Pearson s correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression test. Results: Significant results were obtained for specific and joint relationships between parental alexithymia and neglect and maladjustment of their healthy children (P = 0.041). However, the results obtained for the effect of the presence or absence of an autistic child in the family as a moderating variable were not significant (P = 0.556). Parental alexithymia had a significant positive correlation (r = 0.565, P = 0.001), and parental neglect had a significant negative correlation (r = -0.393, P = 0.029) with maladjustment of healthy children in the family. Conclusions: Neglect and alexithymia in parents specifically and jointly correlate significantly with their healthy child s maladjustment. However, the presence or absence of an autistic child in the family has no significant effect on this relationship. Parental alexithymia is a stronger predictor of the maladjustments of healthy children.