Health-Related Quality of Life of Parents of Children With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

The physical and mental health-related quality of life (QOL) of 89 parents of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs) was compared to the health-related QOL of 46 parents of children without disabilities. Parents completed a packet of surveys measuring demographics, parenting stress, coping, resources, and QOL. Results of t tests showed significant differences between the two groups for all variables. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that for parents of children with HFASDs, demographics and psychosocial variables accounted for a significant amount of variance for physical health-related QOL, with income, number of children, and stress being significant variables. Demographics and psychosocial variables also accounted for a significant amount of variance for parents' mental health-related QOL, with income and stress being significant variables.

The Factors Predicting Stress, Anxiety and Depression in the Parents of Children with Autism

“…the higher the level of economic support received, the higher the perceived level of stress). The observed score would appear to be contrary to existing studies demonstrating that parents of children with autism with access to less financial support experience more mental health problems (Hu, 2009;Lee, 2009).…”

“…As has been shown in the Literature Review and General Introduction to this study, and the Introduction to Study One, the existing literature clearly shows that the parents of children with autism experience more stress, anxiety and depression than the parents of developmentally normal children (Benjak, 2009;Fiske, 2009;Lee, 2009;Sanders & Morgan, 1997;Weiss, 2002). Some of these studies have focused solely on mothers (Tomanik et al, 2004), but the majority have assessed both mothers and fathers (Bitsika & Sharpley, 2004, Civick, 2008Davis & Carter, 2008;Hastings & Johnson, 2001).…”

“…Lee (2009) found that the parents of children with high functioning ASD demonstrated significantly more depression and anxiety than the parents of children without disabilities. However, the sample size was relatively small (48 parents in the ASD group and 26 in the control group), and the focus on high functioning ASD highly specific.…”

“…In a mail survey study of 219 Australian parents with children with autism, Sharpley, Bitsika and Efremidis (1997) concluded that, although social support was associated with lower levels of parenting stress, it was mediated by the perceived expertise of the family member or friend providing respite care for the parents. Two other international studies concluded that lower family income and less access to financial support were predictive of lower mental-health related quality of life measures in parents of children with autism (Hu, 2009;Lee, 2009).…”

“…The existing literature demonstrates that the parents of children with autism experience more mental health problems -primarily stress, anxiety and depressionthan the parents of both developmentally normal children and the parents of children with intellectual disability, Down Syndrome and severe physical health problems (Benjak, 2009;Fiske, 2009;Lee, 2009;Sanders & Morgan, 1997;Weiss, 2002).…”