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Quality of life among parents of South African children with autism spectrum disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 March 2018

Ayman Alhazmi ,
Reneva Petersen  and
Kirsten A Donald
Ayman Alhazmi
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa Department of Developmental Paediatrics, Children Hospital, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Reneva Petersen
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
Kirsten A Donald*
Affiliation:
Department of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
*
Author for correspondence: Professor Kirsten Donald, Department of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Klipfontein Rd, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: +27216505535; E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

To describe the quality of life (QOL) of South African parents caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as compared with parents of typically developing (TD) children from the same community.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was done evaluating the QOL of parents of 52 children (26 parents of children with ASD versus 26 parents of TD children) using a structured measure, (World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-BREF).

Results

The mean age of the children with ASD was 64.9 months (SD 14.5) versus 60.1 months (SD 13.5) for TD group. There was a male predominance among group of children with ASD (48 boys, four girls). The mean parental age of the ASD group was 32.9 years (SD 7.8) compared with 33.8 years (SD 6.8) for the TD group. As compared with parents of the TD children, parents of children with ASD had lower mean QOL scores in the four QOL domains: physical, psychological, social and environmental health (p<0.0001). the domain where the discrepancy between groups was greatest was the physical domain Where the mean score was 52.1 (SD 18.7) in the ASD group and 92 (SD 10.4) in the TD group. Lower income, severity level of ASD and lack of access to school placement of children with ASD were found significantly associated with parents’ QOL domains.

Conclusion

QOL of parents of children with ASD is significant lower than that of the parents of their TD peers across all domains and is an important component in management of the family which needs to be explored and addressed.

Keywords

autism spectrum disorderscaregiversparentsquality of life
Type
Original Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , August 2018 , pp. 226 - 231
Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2018 

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