Faculty Collaboration Database

Autism spectrum disorder: parenting stress, family functioning and health-related quality of life. Fam Syst Health 2011 Sep;29(3):232-252

Date

09/21/2011

Pubmed ID

21928891

DOI

10.1037/a0025341

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-80053256792 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   146 Citations

Abstract

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is 1 in 110 persons in the U.S. Both parents of children with ASD are under stress that may impact their health-related quality of life (HRQL) (physical and mental health). The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship of parenting stress, support from family functioning and the HRQL (physical and mental health) of both parents. Female (n = 64) and male (n = 64) parents of children with ASD completed Web-based surveys examining parenting stress, family functioning, and physical and mental health. Results of a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test showed that female parent discrepant (D) scores between "what is" and "should be" family functioning were significantly larger than male parents, p = .002. Results of stepwise linear regression for the male-female partners showed that (1) higher female caregiving stress was related to lower female physical health (p < .001), (2) a higher discrepancy score in family functioning predicted lower mental health (p < .001), accounting for 31% of the variance for females and (3) male parent personal and family life stress (p < .001) and family functioning discrepant (D) score (p < .001) predicted poor mental health, with the discrepancy score accounting for 35% of the variance. These findings suggest that there may be differences in mothers' and fathers' perceptions and expectations about family functioning and this difference needs to be explored and applied when working with families of children with ASD.

Author List

Johnson N, Frenn M, Feetham S, Simpson P

Authors

Marilyn D. Frenn PhD Professor in the College of Nursing department at Marquette University
Norah Johnson PhD Assistant Professor in the College ofnursing department at Marquette University
Pippa M. Simpson PhD Adjunct Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Child
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Family Health
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Parenting
Quality of Life
Sex Factors
Sickness Impact Profile
Social Support
Stress, Psychological
Surveys and Questionnaires