Enhancing the quality of life of mothers of children with intellectual disabilities or Autism: The role of disability-specific support.
Disability-specific support services measurably boost family quality of life for mothers of children with ID or autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Alnahdi (2024) asked 269 Saudi mothers of children with autism or intellectual disability to fill out a survey.
The survey measured how much disability-specific support they got and how that linked to overall family quality of life.
What they found
Mothers who used more disability-related support services reported higher family quality of life.
The link was strong enough to show that tailored support, not just general help, makes the difference.
How this fits with other research
Alqazlan (2025) and Agiovlasitis et al. (2025) also surveyed Saudi families, but they asked teachers and guardians about the child’s own quality of life. Their picture was only moderate, with low self-determination scores.
The new study flips the lens: when mothers receive disability-focused support, the whole family feels better. The earlier papers extend the story by showing child-level needs still go unmet, so both angles matter.
Older work in Malaysia and Slovenia (Griffith et al. (2012) and Robinson et al. (2011)) already showed families value support highly yet lack chances to attain it. Alnahdi (2024) confirms the same gap in Saudi Arabia and quantifies the payoff when services do reach mothers.
Why it matters
If you write plans for children with ID or autism, add a parent goal that names specific disability services, not vague “parent training.” A referral to respite, adaptive equipment, or sibling support can raise family quality of life in measurable ways. Check that mothers know how to access each service and review uptake at every team meeting.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: A holistic approach considering the physical, emotional, and social dimensions of living with a disability is essential for developing effective support systems, policies, and interventions. The quality of life of individuals with disabilities is interrelated with the well-being of their families making family quality of life (FQOL) a crucial aspect of study. AIMS: This study explores the effects of support on FQOL among Saudi Arabian families with children diagnosed with intellectual disabilities or autism, from the perspectives of 269 mothers. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Through a survey, we examined how disability-related support correlates with FQOL, emphasizing the need for personalized support systems. We employed multiple regression analysis to assess the impact of various factors on FQOL, including the type and severity of disability, family income, and marital status. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The findings revealed that disability-related support is a significant predictor of FQOL, highlighting its critical role in enhancing the well-being of families. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study contributes to the scarce regional literature, and underscores the importance of inclusive social policies tailored to the diverse needs of families with disabilities.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104780