Quality of life in families of children with autism: a comparison with families of children who do not have autism
Date
2010-03-15T17:58:23Z
Authors
Church, Heather
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Abstract
Using a mixed-method, this study examined the quality of life in families of children with autism in comparison with families of children who do not have autism. Participants consisted of parents of 17 children with Autism aged 6 to 12 years old and parents of 17 children who did not have Autism. The former group was recruited through intervention programs for children with Autism and their families in British Columbia, as well as Ontario. Among the families of children with autism. the incidence ratio of male to female children (4:1 to 5:1, based on DSM-IV, APA, 2000) is reflected by the number of families had male versus female children with autism. The latter were recruited through letters sent home with children from their schools and local after-school care programs in Victoria, B.C.
Participants completed a survey package consisting of: the Quality of Life Inventory (QofLl), Family Environment Scale (FES), Family Support Scale (FSS). Child Behavior Checklist and a demographics questionnaire. Parents of children with autism also completed a questionnaire detailing the interventions their child has received and their degree of satisfaction with these interventions. Qualitative open-ended responses were also completed by all participants. The quantitative results reflected few significant group differences. Families of children who do not have Autism reported statistically significant greater satisfaction with their neighbourhoods and communities and annual household income than did families of children with Autism. Within families of children with Autism, those with higher annual household incomes had access to more interventions and of longer durations. They also reported shorter waiting periods to access such programs than did those with lower household incomes.
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Keywords
autism in children, autistic children, family relationships