Quality of Life in Families of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Before therapy starts, preschool autism families feel the biggest pinch in daily family life, and higher child skills plus more resources predict better family quality of life.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Mello et al. (2019) asked 295 parents of preschoolers with autism to fill out a survey. The survey measured family quality of life before any treatment began.
Parents rated how happy they felt about family life, money, support, and their child's skills. The team then looked at which child and family traits went hand-in-hand with higher scores.
What they found
Parents were least happy with how the family interacts day-to-day. They were happier when their child could talk, play, and toilet with less help.
Families with more money, friends, and community help also reported better quality of life.
How this fits with other research
Losada-Puente et al. (2022) extended this picture. They showed that autism families feel bigger gaps between what they want and what they get than families of kids with other delays. Age changes which gaps feel biggest.
Musetti et al. (2024) added a new piece: parent attachment style. Secure parents report higher quality of life even when child behavior stays the same. The 2019 paper did not measure this.
S-Anthony et al. (2020) looked at families after early intervention started. Family quality of life rose most by six months. This seems to clash with the 2019 baseline, but the two studies simply sit at different time points. Together they show where families start and how they can move.
Why it matters
Use this snapshot to set goals with parents. Ask about money stress, community help, and daily family routines, not just child behaviors. When you write treatment plans, add parent coaching on interaction skills and link families to respite or financial aid. Small gains in child functioning plus stronger supports can lift the whole family's quality of life.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The present study investigated family quality of life (FQOL) as experienced by 493 mothers and fathers (295 families) of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prior to receiving early intervention services in the province of Québec. These families were most satisfied with their physical and material well-being and least satisfied with their family interactions. Children's level of functioning across various standardized and subjective measures were positively associated with parents' FQOL. In both parents, family characteristics associated with financial and personal resources were also linked to FQOL. The child's age and the number of children were associated with mothers' FQOL. Overall, these findings provide a portrait of ASD-related stressors and resources relevant to both parents during the early childhood period.
American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2019 · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-124.6.535