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Banaru D, Boyd D, Halevy M, Oliver A, Orsat-Parker K, Brien M, Krishna D, Coutinho F, Ogourtsova T. Social capital of families of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in South India. Dev Med Child Neurol 2024. [PMID: 38698550 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the social capital of families with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in South India receiving a community-based early intervention (Enabling Inclusion®) program and to explore determinants and associations between social capital and program duration, socio-demographic factors, family empowerment, and caregiver burden. METHOD Using purposive sampling in a cross-sectional study design, 217 families (n = 71 received short Enabling Inclusion [<5 months]; n = 146 received long Enabling Inclusion [>9 months]) were recruited and completed the Short Adapted Social Capital Tool (SASCAT: cognitive, structural), measures of family empowerment, and caregiver strain. Descriptive statistics, regression, and correlations were used for analyses. RESULTS In 52.1% of participants, low cognitive and structural social capital was observed. Higher odds of low structural social capital were observed for mothers with primary versus secondary education (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-0.90; p = 0.029); and caregivers of children with cerebral palsy versus autism (OR = 4.66; 95% CI 1.02-21.21; p = 0.046). Significant associations were found between structural social capital, the child's age, and support group membership (χ2 = 6.29; 4.70; degrees of freedom [df] = 2; 1; p = 0.04; p = 0.02 respectively), as well as between cognitive social capital and other disability in the family (χ2 = 4.62, df = 1, p = 0.03). INTERPRETATION While program duration was not found to mediate social capital, mother's education and child's diagnosis emerged as key influential factors, warranting their consideration in interventions supporting families of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in low- and-middle-income countries and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Banaru
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dana Boyd
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Melanie Halevy
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Angel Oliver
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kayla Orsat-Parker
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Brien
- Enabling Inclusion Program, Amar Seva Sangam, Ayikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Dinesh Krishna
- Enabling Inclusion Program, Amar Seva Sangam, Ayikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Franzina Coutinho
- Enabling Inclusion Program, Amar Seva Sangam, Ayikudi, Tamil Nadu, India
- Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, Research Center - RESI ALLIANT KID Laboratory, site of Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de Laval, Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Tatiana Ogourtsova
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, Research Center - RESI ALLIANT KID Laboratory, site of Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de Laval, Laval, QC, Canada
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Sulaimani GH, Kamel S, Alotaibi G, Telmesani N. Quality of Life Among Family Caregivers of Disabled Children in Saudi Arabia. Cureus 2023; 15:e41320. [PMID: 37539394 PMCID: PMC10395756 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.41320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The physical and mental health of parents can be adversely affected by their child's disability, leading to a potential decline in their overall Quality of Life (QoL). This research aimed to determine the QoL of family caregivers and compare this based on sociodemographic factors and child characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS An analytical cross-sectional design was employed, and data were collected from multiple rehabilitation centers for children with special needs and learning disorders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study sample comprised 95 family caregivers who completed a self-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included sections on sociodemographic characteristics, child characteristics, and caregivers' QoL assessed using the RAND 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The collected data were analyzed using the IBM Corp. Released 2022. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp, employing descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS Our findings revealed that the overall mean QoL score among caregivers was 57, ranging from 12 to 94. There were no statistically significant differences in QoL scores based on caregivers' age, gender, occupational status, or income. However, further analysis indicated significant associations between certain factors and specific domains of QoL. Specifically, caregiver education was found to be associated with role limitations due to emotional problems, while relationships with disabled children were linked to emotional well-being. The severity of the child's disability and the presence of another child with a disability in the family were associated with the bodily pain domain. Additionally, the presence of another child with a disability had an impact on perceived change in the health domain. CONCLUSIONS The QoL of family caregivers varied, highlighting the significant challenges faced by certain individuals. Factors such as education level, the relationship with the child, the severity of the disability, and the presence of multiple disabled children in the family were identified as influencing caregivers' QoL. These findings emphasize the importance of developing targeted interventions that can address emotional well-being and fatigue management while promoting a supportive society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghofran H Sulaimani
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Shady Kamel
- Saudi Field Epidemiology Training Program, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Ghadi Alotaibi
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Nada Telmesani
- Neurological Service of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Nantes Université, Nantes, FRA
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Linsao AW, McKiernan PM, Morgan SM. Mental health providers' perceptions of competency when working with autistic children with co-occurring mental health diagnoses. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 51:2026-2034. [PMID: 36609698 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Psychotherapy research has long focused on provider competence and treatment efficacy. Mental health providers treat diverse client populations with varying, complex needs. Though estimates vary, the rate of children diagnosed with autism and a co-occurring psychiatric disorder is relatively high. While behavioral approaches to treatment have been established as the gold standard, talk-based therapies are increasingly common, and a broader range of providers are treating this population. There are gaps in the literature regarding empirically supported, targeted approaches, and provider sense of competency in addressing complex needs. The aim of this secondary qualitative analysis was to gain further insights into mental health providers' experiences of psychotherapy with autistic children with a cooccurring diagnosis. Eleven licensed clinicians participated in semistructured interviews. The following themes emerged: perception of competency, complex needs, and family involvement. Recommendations for a collaborative approach, increased opportunities for training, and standardized, targeted assessments and treatment protocols were made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy W Linsao
- School of Behavioral Sciences, California Southern University, Chandler, Arizona, USA
| | - Patrick M McKiernan
- School of Behavioral Sciences, California Southern University, Chandler, Arizona, USA
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Pratesi CB, Garcia AB, Pratesi R, Gandolfi L, Hecht M, Nakano EY, Zandonadi RP. Quality of Life in Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Development and Validation of the Questionnaire. Brain Sci 2021; 11:924. [PMID: 34356158 PMCID: PMC8304644 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown that children and adolescents with autism and their relatives present a high level of stress and more family problems, impacting parents' and caregivers' quality of life (QoL). Despite studies on this subject, there is no specific questionnaire to evaluate QoL in parents or caregivers of children and adolescents with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in Brazil. Therefore, this study's primary purpose was to develop and validate a specific questionnaire to evaluate QoL in these individuals. The study was performed using the following steps: development of the ASD Parent/caregiver QoL questionnaire (autistic spectrum disorder parent/caregiver quality of life-ASDPC-QoL), subjective evaluation, validation of the questionnaire by the Delphi method, assessment of internal consistency, responsiveness, and reliability of the ASLPC-QoL, and administration of the questionnaire to 881 Brazilian ASD caregivers or parents. ASDPC-QoL comprises 28 questions divided into four domains (social, concerns, physical and mental health) with good psychometric properties (reproducibility, reliability, internal consistency, responsiveness, and validity). Our data showed that worries and physical health were the domains with the lowest scores in ASDPCA-QoL. ASDPCA-QoL did not differ among gender and age of child considering the total and all domains. Older participants (≥41 y/o) presented the best scores for social and worries domains but did not differ in other domains and the total. Parents or caregivers of ASD children diagnosed for more than three years have better mental and physical health domains than those recently diagnosed (up to 1 year) but did not differ in the total and other domains. Individuals with a partner and with the highest educational level present the best score for the social domain. Employed individuals showed better scores than unemployed ones for all domains and the total, except for worries, which did not differ. It also occurred comparing the individuals that do not use antidepressants and the ones that use them. Assessing and better understanding the QoL of caregivers is highly relevant. By understanding the social, worries, physical, and emotional health domains of caregivers, it is possible to track harmful aspects, prevent and treat pathologies, in addition to assisting in the implementation of effective public policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia B Pratesi
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences and Celiac Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Baeza Garcia
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences and Celiac Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | - Riccardo Pratesi
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences and Celiac Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | - Lenora Gandolfi
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences and Celiac Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | - Mariana Hecht
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences and Celiac Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Renata Puppin Zandonadi
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasilia (UnB), Asa Norte, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil
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Dewey K, Hodgkinson M. The experiences of fathers who have a child with autism spectrum disorder: from birth to adulthood. ADVANCES IN AUTISM 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/aia-01-2021-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore fathers’ experiences of raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), taking into consideration how this experience fluctuates as their child develops from infancy to adulthood.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the experiences of fathers who have a young adult with ASD. Seven fathers participated in this study. Data was analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings
Four themes were identified, these were: ubiquitous impact, divergent support, impeding factors and facilitating factors.
Practical implications
Findings from this study highlighted the pervasive impacts of having a child with ASD. This study highlighted the need to educate health-care professionals, the general public and prospective fathers. Creating “dads groups” could help to direct fathers towards other people who understand their situation. Finally, trialling methods to accelerate fathers’ acceptance, such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), could help to reduce psychological stress.
Originality/value
To date, most research largely focusses on mothers’ experiences, as mothers are typically seen as the primary caregiver. Previous research also tends to focus on the earlier years of life. This research addresses the often-overlooked topic of fathers’ experiences, investigating their experience of having a child with ASD from birth through to adulthood.
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Alenazi DS, Hammad SM, Mohamed AE. Effect of autism on parental quality of life in Arar city, Saudi Arabia. J Family Community Med 2020; 27:15-22. [PMID: 32030074 PMCID: PMC6984034 DOI: 10.4103/jfcm.jfcm_157_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The quality of life (QOL) of the families of children with autism is lower than that of families of normal children or children with other disabilities. The study's aim was to describe the severity of effect on the domains of the QOL of caregivers of autistic children and to identify the characteristics of caregivers and children associated with impaired QOL. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study included 84 parents of autistic children attending developmental abnormalities clinic in Arar city during January 1 to March 31, 2019. Parents of autistic children were interviewed using an Arabic version of the short-form 36 to assess their QOL. A mean score of <50 was considered to indicate poor QOL. Collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 20.0). A Chi-square test was used for comparison between categorical variables. RESULTS Of 84 caregivers, 63.1% had impaired QOL. The main domains affected were energy/fatigue and role limitations resulting from emotional problems. Female gender, unemployment, and low income of caregivers were significant factors associated with poor QOL. Autistic children of the first birth order and with long duration of the disease were more likely to be associated with poor parental QOL. Gender, income, occupation, and duration of illness were associated with poor quality of life, but this was not statstically significant. CONCLUSION Slightly less than two-thirds of the caregivers had impaired QOL. Caregivers of autistic children need social and emotional support to help them to cope with this disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalal S. Alenazi
- Department of Community Medicine, Saudi Board of Family Medicine Joint Program, Arar, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabry M. Hammad
- Department of Community Medicine, Saudi Board of Family Medicine Joint Program, Arar, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Amal E. Mohamed
- Department of Community Medicine, Saudi Board of Family Medicine Joint Program, Arar, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
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Cleaton MAM, Lorgelly PK, Kirby A. Developmental coordination disorder: the impact on the family. Qual Life Res 2018; 28:925-934. [PMID: 30536221 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-018-2075-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with an estimated prevalence of 2-6% in school-aged children. Children with DCD score lower in multiple quality of life (QOL) domains. However, the effect of a child's DCD on their parents' and family's QOL has not previously been assessed in a UK population. We aimed to assess parental and family QOL within UK families containing at least one child aged 6-18 years who was diagnosed with DCD. METHODS A mixed-methods study was designed, using an online questionnaire that incorporated the Family QOL Scale and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey. RESULTS The emotional and disability support domains of family QOL were markedly negatively affected by DCD, with lack of support by medical and educational professionals cited as a major source of stress. Parental mental health was also negatively affected. In many cases, the child's DCD impacted on parental work life, family social life and siblings' well-being. CONCLUSIONS Having a child with DCD has a considerable impact on families. This needs to be recognised by healthcare and other professionals; otherwise, services and support may not be appropriately targeted and the negative sequelae of DCD may ripple beyond the individual with costly social and economic consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann Megan Cleaton
- Dyscovery Centre, University of South Wales, Innovation House, William Price Business Park, Treforest, Pontypridd, UK
| | | | - Amanda Kirby
- Dyscovery Centre, University of South Wales, Innovation House, William Price Business Park, Treforest, Pontypridd, UK.
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