Background: Despite of the established relevance of quality of life (QOL), research and the significant impact of having a child with autism, the QOL of caregivers of children with autism has been relatively understudied compared to other childhood problems. Thus, this study aimed to study the QOL and its predictors of principal caregivers of autistic children.
Methods: This study comprised parents of 105 autistic children attending 4 autism institutes in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted from August 15, 2021, to October 31, 2021. QOL of the participants was assessed by short-form 36.
Results: Out of 105 parents of autistic children, 62 were females with a mean age 45.08 years. Majority (86.7%) of participants were married. Most of the participants (49.5%) had high level of education. The results showed a significant relationship between various socio-demographic variables and QOL. The findings of the study revealed that gender, age, monthly income and marital status were found to be the significant predictors of QOL of caregivers of autism children.
Conclusion: This study provided some evidence for the impact of caring for a child with autism on the life of the caregiver. It also gives an insight into areas relating to support provided to children with autism and their caregivers. The present study would help health policy-makers in Saudi Arabia to provide better and more focused support to children with autism and their caregivers.
Key words: Quality of Life, caregiver, children, Autism, Saudi Arabia
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