Autistic children and their parents are at risk for mental health problems, but the processes driving these connections are unknown. Leveraging three data cycles (spaced = 11.76 months, = 2.77) on 162 families with autistic children (aged 6-13 years), the associations between parent-child relationship quality (warmth and criticism), child mental health problems, and parent depression symptoms were examined. A complete longitudinal mediation model was conducted using structural equation modeling. Father depression mediated the link between child mental health problems and father critical comments ( = -0.017, = 0.018; CI [-.023 - -.015]). Father report of child mental health problems mediated the association between father depression and father critical comments ( = 0.016, = 0.040; CI [0.003-0.023]) as well as the association between father positive remarks and father depression ( = -0.009, = 0.032; CI [-0.010 - -0.009]). Additionally, father positive remarks mediated the connection between father depression and child mental health problems ( = 0.022, = 0.006; CI [0.019-0.034]). No mediation effects were present for mothers. Findings highlight that the mental health of parents and autistic children are intertwined. Interventions that improve the parent-child relationship may reduce the reciprocal toll of parent and child mental health problems.
