Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Background A variety of psychosocial factors have been shown to affect the quality of life of families (FQoL). Aim This study aimed to assess the impact of mother's demographic characteristics, parental stress, illness perceptions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coping strategies, ASD s...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-05-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472423000558/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797824643004891136 |
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| author | Angelos Papadopoulos Vassiliki Siafaka Angeliki Tsapara Dionysios Tafiadis Konstantinos Kotsis Petros Skapinakis Meropi Tzoufi |
| author_facet | Angelos Papadopoulos Vassiliki Siafaka Angeliki Tsapara Dionysios Tafiadis Konstantinos Kotsis Petros Skapinakis Meropi Tzoufi |
| author_sort | Angelos Papadopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background
A variety of psychosocial factors have been shown to affect the quality of life of families (FQoL).
Aim
This study aimed to assess the impact of mother's demographic characteristics, parental stress, illness perceptions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coping strategies, ASD severity and time since diagnosis on FQoL during the initial period following diagnosis (≤6 months).
Method
Fifty-three mothers of children newly diagnosed with ASD completed the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale, the Autism Parenting Stress Index, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the demographic characteristics of the family. Eta coefficients and Pearson's analysis were used to determine the associations between the variables and the FQoL dimensions. Hierarchical regression was used to determine whether variables explained a statistically significant family quality of life variance.
Results
Pearson's analysis and eta coefficients indicated several correlations. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that higher parental stress related to core autism symptoms was associated with poorer FQoL (95% CI −0.08 to −0.02, P = 0.001), and higher perceived treatment control was associated with better FQoL (95% CI 0.04–0.16, P = 0.001). In addition, stronger perceived personal control was associated with higher physical/material well-being (95% CI 0.01–0.16, P = 0.022) and higher disability-related support (95% CI 0.30–0.61, P = 0.001). Higher family monthly income was associated with better FQoL (95% CI 0.08–0.027, P = 0.000), whereas marital status (divorced mother) was correlated with poorer FQoL (95% CI −0.68 to −0.16, P = 0.002).
Conclusions
Interventions should emphasise managing the disorder's characteristics and implementing psychoeducational and supportive programmes for parents, immediately after the diagnosis, to enhance FQoL.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:42:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69310d60212a40eb93f746ad584616f8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:42:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-69310d60212a40eb93f746ad584616f82023-05-18T02:20:40ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242023-05-01910.1192/bjo.2023.55Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorderAngelos Papadopoulos0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9988-9273Vassiliki Siafaka1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8002-8825Angeliki Tsapara2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2925-2709Dionysios Tafiadis3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7317-4106Konstantinos Kotsis4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9830-1706Petros Skapinakis5Meropi Tzoufi6Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceDepartment of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceFaculty of Medicine of Patras, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, GreeceDepartment of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceFaculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceFaculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, GreeceFaculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece Background A variety of psychosocial factors have been shown to affect the quality of life of families (FQoL). Aim This study aimed to assess the impact of mother's demographic characteristics, parental stress, illness perceptions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coping strategies, ASD severity and time since diagnosis on FQoL during the initial period following diagnosis (≤6 months). Method Fifty-three mothers of children newly diagnosed with ASD completed the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale, the Autism Parenting Stress Index, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. A descriptive analysis was conducted on the demographic characteristics of the family. Eta coefficients and Pearson's analysis were used to determine the associations between the variables and the FQoL dimensions. Hierarchical regression was used to determine whether variables explained a statistically significant family quality of life variance. Results Pearson's analysis and eta coefficients indicated several correlations. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that higher parental stress related to core autism symptoms was associated with poorer FQoL (95% CI −0.08 to −0.02, P = 0.001), and higher perceived treatment control was associated with better FQoL (95% CI 0.04–0.16, P = 0.001). In addition, stronger perceived personal control was associated with higher physical/material well-being (95% CI 0.01–0.16, P = 0.022) and higher disability-related support (95% CI 0.30–0.61, P = 0.001). Higher family monthly income was associated with better FQoL (95% CI 0.08–0.027, P = 0.000), whereas marital status (divorced mother) was correlated with poorer FQoL (95% CI −0.68 to −0.16, P = 0.002). Conclusions Interventions should emphasise managing the disorder's characteristics and implementing psychoeducational and supportive programmes for parents, immediately after the diagnosis, to enhance FQoL. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472423000558/type/journal_articleNewly diagnosed childrenautism spectrum disorderfamily quality of lifeparental stressillness perceptions |
| spellingShingle | Angelos Papadopoulos Vassiliki Siafaka Angeliki Tsapara Dionysios Tafiadis Konstantinos Kotsis Petros Skapinakis Meropi Tzoufi Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder BJPsych Open Newly diagnosed children autism spectrum disorder family quality of life parental stress illness perceptions |
| title | Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_full | Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_fullStr | Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_short | Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder |
| title_sort | measuring parental stress illness perceptions coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder |
| topic | Newly diagnosed children autism spectrum disorder family quality of life parental stress illness perceptions |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472423000558/type/journal_article |
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