Abstract
This line of research utilized data from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC), a large repository including both genetic and phenotypic data on simplex families (i.e., one individual carries an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis – all other family members are unaffected). The three papers described within this document utilized phenotypic data, with the goal of gaining greater clarity regarding the use of parental maladaptive coping mechanisms, specifically substance use, as related to both parental and child characteristics, in addition to examining the factor structure of several widely used diagnostic measures. This dissertation adheres to the parameters set forth by the Curry School of Education Guidelines for Manuscript Style Dissertations. As required by the guidelines, I am the lead author on the first and third papers, and contributed substantially to the second paper as the second author. The first paper, Impact of Child Problem Behaviors and Parental Broad Autism Phenotype Traits on Substance Use among Parents of Children with ASD, was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (Wade, Cox, Reeve, & Hull, 2014), as was the second study, Model Invariance across Genders of the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (Broderick, Wade, Meyer, Hull, & Reeve, 2015). Springer, the publisher, provided written permission for both articles to be submitted to Libra. The third study, Examination of the Factor Structure of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) within a Simplex Population, is being prepared for submission for publication.
