Previous research has suggested that mothers of children with autistic spectrum disorders experienced increased levels of stress and high levels of expressed emotion (EE). A robust relationship has been demonstrated between child behavioural problems and maternal stress and EE. Social support has been identified as a protective against maternal stressors. This study aimed to examine whether social support functioned as a moderator of the relationships between child behavioural problems with maternal stress and critical comments. A further aim was to assess whether informal support provided a stronger moderating effect than formal support. A cross sectional survey based design was used. 59 mothers of children with ASDs completed a brief interview to assess EE and 45 of these mothers also completed measures to assess mater and child behavioural difficulties. Regression and correlation analyses showed that social support did not moderate the mother-child relationships. High levels of maternal stress were revealed and relatively low levels of social support, with borderline levels of child behavioural problems. Significant relationships were evidenced between child behaviour problems with maternal stress and criticism. Child behavioural problems, total support and informal support significantly predicted maternal stress.

Audiovisual integration is the ability to combine auditory and visual information in the brain. Current theories of autism suggest that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) should show audiovisual integration impairments.

Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) present with social and communication deficits, and patterns of restricted and repetitive behaviours (APA, 2000). These difficulties have significant impacts for families, including increased levels of stress and mental health problems when compared to parents raising children with other developmental or intellectual conditions (e.g. Singer, 2006). Research has sought to understand this impact and to identify the factors that place parents at risk for poor adjustment outcomes so that interventions can be effectively tailored to facilitate improved outcomes for families. This thesis reviews the adjustment literature and considers how it fits within a widely used model of adjustment, the Double ABCX model (McCubbin & Patterson, 1983). It then goes on to consider the importance of the parent-child relationship for adjustment via the construct of Expressed Emotion (EE), and explores how this literature adds to our understanding of the adjustment process in families of children with ASC. Next, the role of EE in the adjustment process of families of children with ASC is investigated. A mediation model is proposed that incorporates a measure of EE within the Double ABCX model. The validity of this model is tested in a sample of primary caregivers who have children with ASC. Whilst the results of the study indicate that EE does not have a mediating role in the adjustment of these families, the study has a number of limitations and suggestions for future research that are discussed in detail.