Quality of Life of Parents Having Children with Autism

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Autism is a complex developmental disorder which is fast growing in nature across the world.  Aim of the study was to evaluate the Quality of Life (QOL) of parent with autism. Purpose of this study was to investigate the QOL of parents having children with autism. Methodology: Descriptive survey research design was used. The study employed a convenient sampling technique to draw 30 parents having children with autism who were attending special School at Thakur Hari Prasad Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for the Mentally Handicapped, Hyderabad (AP) in year 2013. WHOQOL-BREEF tool was used for data collection and data were analysed by using descriptive statistics namely: frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviations. Results: Result revealed that 41% parents expressed that poor quality of life while 30% expressed their life in neither good nor bad. 21% parents perceived their life is good and 5% parents showed very good quality of life. 3% of parents having children with autism expressed very poor quality of life. Parents having children with autism displayed significant impairment in their quality of life especially in the area of psychological and environment domain. Conclusion: Findings of this research work will be helpful in building intervention programme and policy making to enhance quality of life of parents having children with autism. The ministry of Human Resource Development should consider the availability of stress management programme for parents, workshops and conferences for teachers and inclusive education for children with various disabilities.