An Analysis of Parental Quality of Life Following an Autism Diagnosis for their Children

Abstract

The primary goal of this study's contents is to systematically review earlier studies on the quality of life in parents of autistic children and provide a significant analysis of the ways in which societal themes and facets influence the current state of affairs. Using the four dimensions of the quality of life—the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains—as a guide, this analysis has attempted to address significant and noteworthy aspects as indicated by World Health Organization (2012).In the present study, I intend to explore the parents’ opinions regarding their quality of life towards diagnosis of their children with autism. This systematic review, which adhered to PRISMA principles, sought to find and evaluate pertinent studies on parents of autistic children's quality of life (QoL). Twenty-five studies were found to be potentially relevant after a preliminary search. 12 studies were eliminated after the preset inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied because they did not meet methodological requirements, did not focus on the same demographic, or did not fall within the relevant timeframe. As a result, six papers were left in the final pool for additional synthesis and analysis. According to this review, mothers reported lower levels of physical, psychological, and environmental comfort than fathers. In the psychological and physical dimensions of QOL level, mothers and fathers differ significantly from one another. The majority of parents expressed dissatisfaction over their family life and relationships being negatively impacted by their inability to obtain funds, specialist intervention programs, and prompt diagnosis. Nonetheless, parents concurrently expressed favourable views of transformation resulting from diagnosis and successful intervention. Families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder may face additional stressors due to delays and challenges in diagnosis and service availability. Families' social and professional lives, as well as their connections with friends and relatives, are all impacted by raising a child with autism. The study suggests that raising awareness about the quality of life for families of children with autism is necessary. To protect the most vulnerable families, the state should enact laws and policies pertaining to disabilities and educate the public about the various kinds of disabilities. These initial results add to our understanding of the perspectives of parents of disabled children on their child's quality of life.