Comparative study on self-perceived health of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders and parents of non-disabled children in Croatia

Effects of Pediatric Rehabilitation on Children With Spastic Quadriplegia Primary to Seizure Disorder and Global Developmental Delay: A Case Report

The most severe form of spastic cerebral palsy (CP), which affects the arms and legs and often the face, is known as spastic quadriplegia. In addition to other developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability and seizures, it can cause difficulty in walking. Children with CP often have seizures as a result of brain injury, and spastic quadriplegic CP is typically associated with global developmental delay. For the purpose of addressing the unique motor and functional challenges associated with spastic quadriplegia, neurophysiotherapy is essential. This treatment includes neurodevelopmental techniques, posture and balance training, and activities aimed at improving gait. The purpose of this case study is to demonstrate how early and continuous physical therapy interventions can maximize a child's functional abilities and prevent further complications. In this instance, a five-year-old boy with a documented history of spastic quadriplegia, seizure disorder, and global developmental delay reported experiencing challenges with sitting, walking, and speech. He had three episodes of fever, which led to his hospital admission. The child's medical history included acute hemorrhagic encephalitis, mild hydroureteronephrosis on the left side, and persistent convulsions that affected only one side of the body. Bilateral thalamic altered signal intensities were observed in the brain's MRI, and multiple calcifications were detected in the periventricular cortex, thalamus, and basal ganglia on the brain's CT scan. To enhance the independence, strength, and coordination of voluntary movement in individuals with CP, a variety of techniques are used in addition to physical therapy, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, aquatic therapy, constraint-induced movement therapy, functional electrical stimulation, orthotic devices, injections of botulinum toxin, and hippotherapy.

Impact of Respite Care Services Availability on Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Military Parents who have a Child on the Autism Spectrum

OBJECTIVE

Parenting an autistic child can affect a family's well-being. Finding resources is critical. This pilot study looked at respite's impact on parental stress, anxiety, and depression in military families and demographic factors associated with presence of respite care.

METHOD

Participants completed three surveys on anonymous basis, including two standardized surveys measuring parental stress and anxiety/depression. Data analysis used Chi-square test and regression analysis.

RESULTS

Parents receiving respite reported less stress and anxiety/depression. Respite utilization was associated with absence of comorbid conditions in child and other variables. Predictor variables for parental stress and anxiety/depression included presence of comorbid conditions in child.

CONCLUSION

Respite care may be linked to lower parental stress, anxiety, and depression, but more study is needed.

Co-occurrence of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Predict Caretaker Mental Health in a Latinx Sample

Caretakers to children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) experience more emotional distress compared to community control samples. Risk factors for poorer mental health among this population include symptom severity and an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. This study aimed to ascertain a relationship between NDD severity and caretakers' mental health. It was hypothesized that co-occurrence of multiple diagnoses would predict higher anxiety and depressive symptomatology and suicidality. Data was collected from a sample of 93 Latinx caregivers to a child or adult with at least one NDD. Multiple NDDs predicted higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to the symptom severity endorsed by caregivers to those with a single NDD diagnosis, but did not predict increased suicidality endorsement. Because caregivers to those with multiple NDDs are at an elevated risk for depression and anxiety, clinicians should consider screening for internalizing disorders in caregivers when treating individual with an NDD.

The impact of life of a child with cerebral palsy on the quality of life of mothers: Tuzla Canton/Bosnia and Herzegovina

The aim of the study was to examine the impact of the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy (CP) on the quality of life of mothers. A total of 122 subjects participated in the study. The general quality of life assessment of paediatric subjects PedsQLTM 4.0 Generic Scale and the specific PedsQLTM 3.0 Module Cerebral Palsy Version 3.0 were used to assess the quality of life of children with CP, and the quality of life of mothers was assessed with the PedsQLTM 2.0 Family Impact Mode Questionnaire. In the present study, the quality of life of mothers is influenced by the physical and social functioning of the child, while the impact of emotional functioning has not been proven. The specific difficulties faced by children with CP, which have a statistically significant effect on the overall quality of life of the mother, are present in the domains: daily activities, mobility and balance and nutrition. The assessment of the quality of life of mothers and children with CP should be an integral part of the clinical assessment, as this will enable professionals to participate more successfully in providing professional assistance in the form of services, therapeutic approaches and prevention programs.

Emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder and psychological distress in their parents in Saudi Arabia: The moderating effect of marital relationship satisfaction

BACKGROUND

There is a well-established association between emotional and behavioral problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), unmet family support needs, and psychological distress in their parents. However, no studies hypothesized a buffering effect of marital relationship satisfaction.

AIM

The aim of this research was to investigate the moderating effect of marital relationship satisfaction in the associations among emotional and behavioral problems in children with ASD, unmet family support needs, and anxiety and depression of their parents in the context of Saudi Arabia.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited parents from five rehabilitation centers for children with ASD in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected with surveys completed online. A sample of 93 parents (84% female, 4.3% were 24 or younger, 36.2% between 25 and 34 years old, 40.5% between 35 and 44, and 14.7% between 45 and 54) of children with ASD was obtained. Two models of multiple regression analysis were performed to determine the relationships.

RESULTS

About 56% of the parents had anxiety symptoms and 60% had depressive symptoms. Emotional and behavioral problems of children and higher levels of unmet family support needs were associated with higher levels of anxiety in parents, and adaptive behavior of children was associated with reduced levels of depression in parents. Relationship satisfaction moderated the impact of children's emotional and behavioral problems on parental anxiety.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The study highlighted the importance of marital relationship satisfaction in buffering the negative effects of ASD-related factors of children on the psychological well-being of their parents.

A Systematic Review: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Parents of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This systematic review investigated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. PsychInfo, CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection were searched using the terms "acceptance and commitment", "autism" and "parent". A total of eight articles met the eligibility criteria. One study was a randomized controlled trial, one was quasi-experimental, and the other six were exploratory. Study outcomes concerned ACT processes, mental health, and quality of life. These studies showed that ACT interventions can be helpful for the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Nevertheless, as this field of research is relatively new, future research would benefit from creating a standard procedure and larger randomized controlled trials .

Mental Health and Coping in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Singapore: An Examination of Gender Role in Caring

Research has supported the notion that gender plays a significant role in coping and mental health outcome among parents of children with ASD. The current study aims to examine gender role in the relationship between mental health outcome and coping in parents of children with ASD in Singapore. This study involved 97 fathers and 106 mothers of children with ASD completing self-report questionnaires. MANOVA revealed mothers experienced significantly higher stress levels than fathers. Stress was a significant predictor of depression for fathers but not for mothers. Regression analyses found use of active avoidance coping moderated the relationship between stress and depression in both parents. Implications of these findings on intervention are discussed.

Social impairment of children with autism spectrum disorder affects parental quality of life in different ways

This study evaluated the life quality of Chinese parents of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their association with child social impairment and childcare burden. The participants included 406 families of children with ASD and 513 families with typically developing (TD) children. The findings indicated that parents in the ASD group had a lower quality of life than parents in the TD group, whereas only mother of children with ASD experienced a greater childcare burden than mother with TD children. Lower parental quality of life were associated with higher social impairment of children. To further clarify the correlativity of child social impairment, parental quality of life and childcare burden, the mediation analyses were conducted. The results showed that childcare burden mediated the influence of child social impairment on maternal quality of life, while it has no mediating effect on fathers. It implies that social impairment of children affects parental quality of life in different ways.

The psychological and physical health of fathers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder compared to fathers of children with long-term disabilities and fathers of children without disabilities

BACKGROUND

The psychological and physical health of fathers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is under-researched. Due to the unique parenting demands, fathers of children with ASD may be at increased risk of experiencing psychological and physical health difficulties compared to fathers of children without disabilities (W/OD) and fathers of children with other long-term disabilities (LTD). What little research there is on fathers of children with ASD is often conducted on small clinical samples, or embeds the experiences of fathers within other groups.

AIM

The current study aimed to explore the extent to which fathers of children with ASD experience psychological distress and physical health issues (e.g., general health, smoking, chronic pain) compared to fathers of children W/OD and fathers of children with a LTD.

METHOD

From a large, nationally representative sample of children, 159 fathers of children with ASD were identified, along with 45 fathers of children with a LTD and 6578 fathers of children W/OD.

RESULTS

The majority of fathers were experiencing good psychological and physical health. Approximately 1 in 6 fathers of children with ASD were experiencing elevated levels of psychological distress and poor global health, and were at significantly greater risk than fathers of children W/OD; although these differences were not found compared to fathers of children with a LTD.

CONCLUSIONS

Some fathers of children with ASD may require additional support which not only focuses on their psychological wellbeing but also fathers' physical health. The current findings encourage health services to check-in with, or reach-out to fathers as they too may require additional support.

Online Positive Thinking Training Intervention for Caregivers of Individuals with ASD: Necessity, Acceptability and Feasibility

BACKGROUND

More than 3.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Caring for children with ASD can be stressful and can be detrimental to the well-being of the caregivers (CGs). However, the adverse effects of caregiving on the well-being of CGs may be avoided with appropriate interventions. CGs of persons with ASD might benefit from a positive thinking training (PTT) intervention to help them cope with the stress of caregiving. However, the necessity, acceptability and feasibility for PTT in ASD CGs have not been studied.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the necessity, acceptability and feasibility of a six-week online PTT intervention designed to improve the well-being of the CGs.

DESIGN

Random assignment of ASD CGs to one of two conditions: (1) PTT online intervention or (2) Control group.

RESULTS

The mean score on the depressive cognition scale (DCS) was 20, indicating a high need of PTT to all enrolled CGs. High depressive cognitions in ASD CGs were associated with lower positive thinking (r = -.39; p <.001). Regarding acceptability, CGs indicated that the different strategies and references to real life were the most interesting parts of the intervention. Regarding feasibility, CGs mentioned that listening to the voice-over PowerPoint and visualization was the easiest part of the PTT.

CONCLUSIONS

Examination of the fidelity and effectiveness of the PTT are the next steps in the refinement of this intervention.

The Experiences of Fathers Who Have Offspring with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Research exploring parents' experiences of having offspring with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) currently underrepresents fathers. This study aimed to develop an understanding of the experience of fathers, with a view to facilitating improved support. Eight fathers participated in semi-structured interviews exploring their experiences of fathering children with ASD. Fathers described their experiences as a path towards acceptance, with independence and integration for their offspring being key goals. Fathers saw themselves as advocates fighting obstructive services to access appropriate care. The value placed on formal and informal support varied, although the need for personalised support was emphasised. Enabling fathers to see their experiences as a journey, whilst engaging them on the important topics of independence and integration, may improve their experience.

Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome in Biological Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

STUDY OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated the prevalence of symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in biological caregivers of children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).The relationship of RLS symptoms to caregiver health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was also examined. Finally, we compared the sleep quality and daytime behaviors of children with ASD in caregivers with and without symptoms of RLS.

METHODS

Biological caregivers (n = 50) of children ages 6 to 11 y with a diagnosis of ASD completed a Sleep Habits Questionnaire (SHQ) that included RLS as determined by four questions. HRQoL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Survey (MOS) 12-Item Short Form (SF-12). Caregivers also completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL6/18).

RESULTS

Eleven caregivers (22%) fit the criteria for RLS symptomatology and caregivers with RLS reported poorer mental health. Caregivers with RLS described more night waking and greater internalized behavior problems in their children with ASD than the caregivers without RLS.

CONCLUSIONS

Biological caregivers of children with ASD demonstrated a high prevalence of RLS symptoms and poorer mental health. RLS is known as a sleep disorder that has strong heritability, and it is possible that many of the children with ASD also have symptoms of RLS. RLS as a possible disruptor of sleep should be considered in caregivers and in their children with ASD.

Health and quality of life among the caregivers of children with disabilities: A review of literature

Families caring for children with disabilities face particular challenges and demands compared to those caring for children without disabilities. Evidence suggests that there is considerable variation in how caregivers of children with disabilities adapt to their caregiving demands and stressors. The different adaptations to the children with disabilities may cause different impacts on the health and well-being of caregivers. This paper provides a brief overview of the literature on the impact of caring for children with disabilities on the health and quality of life of caregivers and the factors related to the health outcomes and quality of life. A literature search was conducted by using various electronic databases, including PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and MEDLINE using specific key terms. Thirty-one articles published in peer-review journals from the last six years (2009-2014) were reviewed. Most of the studies were quantitative studies. Factors discussed that impact on caregivers' health and quality of life include the caregivers' sociodemographic background and child's disability-related factors. Several mediators and moderators including coping strategies, social support, parental stress, self-esteem and self-efficacy are described in this paper. This review highlighted the importance of these factors to better understand the complex nature of stress processes and the caregivers' adaptations to their children's disabilities.

The factors predicting stress, anxiety and depression in the parents of children with autism

The factors predicting stress, anxiety and depression in the parents of children with autism remain poorly understood. In this study, a cohort of 250 mothers and 229 fathers of one or more children with autism completed a questionnaire assessing reported parental mental health problems, locus of control, social support, perceived parent-child attachment, as well as autism symptom severity and perceived externalizing behaviours in the child with autism. Variables assessing parental cognitions and socioeconomic support were found to be more significant predictors of parental mental health problems than child-centric variables. A path model, describing the relationship between the dependent and independent variables, was found to be a good fit with the observed data for both mothers and fathers.

Family wellbeing of individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review

Families play an important role in supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan. Indicators of family wellbeing can help to establish benchmarks for service provision and evaluation; however, a critical first step is a clear understanding of the construct in question. The purpose of the current scoping review was to (a) summarize current conceptualizations and measurements of family wellbeing, (b) synthesize key findings, and (c) highlight gaps and limitations in the extant literature. A final review of 86 articles highlighted the difficulty of synthesizing findings of family wellbeing in the autism spectrum disorder literature due to varied measurement techniques and the limited use of a common theoretical direction. Considerations for future research are presented with an eye toward policy relevance.

Self-assessed health in caregivers of persons with autism spectrum disorder: associations with depressive symptoms, positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being

PURPOSE

Caregiving for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect family caregivers' self-assessed health. The purpose of this study was to determine whether depressive symptoms, positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being will differ significantly among those who rated their health as fair, good, or excellent.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study is a secondary analysis of 109 ASD caregivers who were recruited from the Interactive ASD Network.

FINDINGS

Depression was significantly lower among those who rated their health as excellent than among those who rated their health as fair. Positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being were significantly higher among those who rated their health as excellent than among those who rated their health as fair.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Interventions to enhance caregivers' positive cognitions, resourcefulness, and well-being are recommended.

Parental reaction to early diagnosis of their children's autism spectrum disorder: an exploratory study

This study explores parental reactions subsequent to receiving their child’s autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-diagnosis. Seventy seven parents of recently diagnosed children participated in the Reaction to Diagnosis Interview. Within this group, associations between parental reaction to diagnosis, parental and child characteristics and prediagnostic circumstances were analysed. In a sub-sample, the stability of reaction to diagnosis was examined. The majority of parents were classified as ‘resolved’ regarding their child’s diagnosis. Conversely, parents of children with more severe ASD symptoms or non-Dutch parents were more likely to be classified as ‘unresolved’. Sub-sample analysis revealed stability of reaction to ASD-diagnosis. The majority of parents adapted well to the circumstances and the care for their child. Autism severity and parental nationality were significant factors affecting parental reactions. Thus, early identification of parental reaction to children’s ASD-diagnosis may aid in providing more tailored parental support programs.

Health related quality of life in parents of children with speech and hearing impairment

OBJECTIVES

Hearing impairment and specific language disorder are two entities that seriously affect language acquisition in children and reduce their communication skills. These children require specific treatment and higher levels of care than healthy children. Their language abilities also strongly influence parent-child interactions. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the parents of hearing-impaired children and the parents of children with speech difficulties (specific language disorder).

METHODS

Our study subjects included 349 parents (182 mothers and 167 fathers) of preschool-aged children with receptive expressive language disorder and 131 parents (71 mothers and 60 fathers) of children with severe hearing impairment. A control group was composed of 146 parents (82 mothers and 64 fathers) of healthy children of the same age. HRQOL was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire.

RESULTS

For all groups of parents, the mothers had poorer scores compared with the fathers, but large differences were apparent depending on the child's impairment. In the control group, the scores of the mothers were significantly lower than the fathers' scores in only two (of eight) health domains. In contrast, the scores were lower in three domains for the mothers of speech-impaired children and in six domains for the mothers of hearing-impaired children, representing the greatest difference between the parents. When compared with the control group, both the mothers and fathers of speech-impaired children scored significantly worse in five health domains. Fathers of hearing-impaired children scored significantly worse than controls in three health domains. The lowest scores, indicating the poorest HRQOL, were observed for mothers of hearing-impaired children, who obtained significantly lower scores than the control mothers in all health domains except the emotional role.

CONCLUSIONS

The parents of preschool-aged speech-and hearing-impaired children experience poorer HRQOL than parents of healthy children of the same age. Mothers of hearing-impaired children are especially affected, demonstrating a negative impact in almost all health domains.

Quality of life of parents raising children with pervasive developmental disorders

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) face higher levels of stress. The aims of the present study were; (i) to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of parents caring for their children with PDDs, and (ii) to explore the correlates of their QOL.

METHODS

A consecutive sample of parents of children with PDDs aged 6 to 15 were approached. The MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to measure the QOL of the parents by eight subscales and two summary measures. Parents' personality and marital relationships were assessed with the NEO Five Factor Inventory and the Intimate Bond Measure, respectively. We characterized the parents' SF-36 profiles in comparison with the national normative scores and explored variables which correlated with their summary measures.

RESULTS

Participants were 147 mothers and 122 fathers of 158 children with PDDs. Mothers had significantly lower scores in the areas of Role Physical (RP) Social functioning (SF), General health perceptions (GH), Vitality (VT), Role emotional (RE) and Mental Health (MH) than those among the general female population. The maternal mental component summary (MCS) was also significantly lower, but maternal physical component summary (PCS) and paternal PCS and MCS scores were not lower. Maternal PCS and MCS scores were both significantly associated with the high Care and the low Control scores, but regarding fathers only the paternal PCS scores were significantly associated with the low Control scores. Maternal PCS and MCS and paternal MCS scores were significantly associated with the high Agreeableness scores and the low Neuroticism scores. Multiple regressions have shown that Neuroticism was significantly related to the low MCS scores of mothers and fathers. Next, Care was related to maternal high PCS, and Control was related to maternal low MCS and paternal low PCS.

CONCLUSIONS

The mothers of children with PDDs had lower QOL scores than those of the Japanese general population especially in mental domains. Impairment of the maternal QOL is significantly associated with the personality tendency of the parents and relationships with their partners.