Table 5.
Means, Standard Deviations, and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance analysis for Observed Quality of Couple Interactions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Comparison Group
| ASD N = 173 | Comparison N = 171 | F value | P Value | η2p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement (M, [SD]) | 4.54 (1.01) | 4.89 (0.94) | 9.82 | <.001 | .03 |
| Enjoyment (M, [SD]) | 3.30 (1.36) | 3.20 (1.36) | 0.98 | .325 | .00 |
| Mother Positive Affect (M, [SD]) | 3.08 (1.50) | 2.70 (1.30) | 7.05 | .006 | .02 |
| Father Positive Affect (M, [SD]) | 2.83 (1.43) | 2.42 (1.24) | 8.16 | .002 | .03 |
| Mother Negative Affect (M, [SD]) | 2.44 (1.33) | 2.25 (1.08) | 0.53 | .472 | .00 |
| Father Negative Affect (M, [SD]) | 2.19 (1.19) | 2.13 (0.98) | 0.02 | .883 | .00 |
| Irritation (M, [SD]) | 2.42 (1.19) | 2.26 (0.96) | 0.77 | .381 | .00 |
| Cooperation (M, [SD]) | 4.45 (0.95) | 4.75 (1.00) | 5.24 | .022 | .02 |
| Balance (M, [SD]) | 4.88 (0.84) | 5.11 (0.66) | 4.71 | .034 | .01 |
| Sensitivity (M, [SD]) | 3.76 (1.07) | 3.54 (1.06) | 4.98 | .031 | .02 |
| Conflict Resolution (M, [SD]) | 4.17 (0.98) | 4.32 (0.88) | 1.12 | .292 | .00 |
| Global Quality (M, [SD]) | 4.51 (1.15) | 4.44 (1.00) | 0.68 | .413 | .00 |
Note. Covariates included parent race/ethnicity, parent education, relationship duration, family size, household income, and child age. η2p = partial eta squared. In follow-up analyses including overall couple relationship satisfaction as a covariate, group differences remained significant for Mother Positive Affect, Father Positive Affect, and Sensitivity. Finally, in a follow-up analysis, group differences in positive and negative affect were examined in a multilevel model using Hierarchical Linear Modeling software as these two dimensions were coded for each parent, within couples. The group effect remained significant for positive affect.