Objectives: Studies around the world have shown that having a child with disability impacts a mother's time use. The purpose of this study was to compare the time use of mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with mothers of typically developing children.Methods: Eighty-four Iranian mothers (42 with ASD children and 42 with typically developing children) completed the Mothers' Time Use Questionnaire (MTUQ).
Results:Mothers of ASD children spent more time doing childcare activities (P<0.001), but no significant differences were found in time spent in self-care, rest/sleep, leisure, household chores, job or social participation activities. Furthermore, quality and enjoyment of daily activities were significantly lower in mothers of children with ASD compared to mothers of typically developing children.Discussion: Mothers of ASD children are more prone to having an imbalanced life. Hence, there is a need for occupational therapists to work in partnership with mothers to support their occupational engagement and life satisfaction.
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