“Psychiatric Disorders in the Parents of Autistic Individuals”, Joseph Piven, Gary A. Chase, Rebecca Landa, Maryann Wzorek, Jeanne Gayle, Delores Cloud, Susan Folstein1991-05 (anxiety, autism, depression)⁠:

81 parents of 42 autistic probands and 34 parents of 18 Down syndrome probands were examined using a semi-structured, investigator-based version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Lifetime Version to estimate the lifetime risk of psychiatric disorder.

The lifetime prevalence rate of anxiety disorder was statistically-significantly greater in parents of autistic probands than in parents of Down syndrome probands.

The lifetime prevalence rate of major depressive disorder, while not statistically-significantly different in cases and controls, may be high in the parents of autistic probands (27%) in comparison with populations rates.