Predictors of the health-related quality of life and family quality of life in preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and families

This dissertation consisted of two studies. In the first study, we identified the predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) by considering the caregiver’s characteristics such as mental health and parenting stress in addition to child characteristics in preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The second study was to examine the relationships among child- and family-related factors, environmental factors, and family quality of life (FQOL) in terms of family system perspective in families of preschool children with ASD using structural equation modeling (SEM).
A total of 106 children aged 36 to 70 months participated in the first study. In the second study, most respondents of 106 families were biological mothers and ranged in age from 24 to 46 years.
The first study indicated that the predictors of HRQOL in children with ASD encompassed not only child but also caregiver characteristics. In particular, good HRQOL in the domains of social and emotional functioning in children with ASD depended upon the caregiver’s mental well-being. In the second study, it showed that parent’s socioeconomic status (SES), behavioral problems, and the total hours per week that child receives therapy services have direct effects on FQOL.
In summary, our findings highlight the need for assessment of caregivers’ parenting stress and their mental status as well as the predictors of HRQOL in children with ASD. Furthermore, results of the study could serve as a guide for clinicians to target the predictors when providing assessment and intervention for children with ASD to improve their HRQOL and for policy makers to target these factors when setting policies and providing services to better support families having children with ASD. In addition, results suggest that the government not only should take SES account into policy development for families whose children receive special services but also provide adequate professional service hours and appropriate resources that meet the parents’ needs. Finally, the results of the studies could assist clinicians in constructing family-based intervention programs to better serve children and families with ASD.