Quality of life of caregivers of autistic children in Saudi Arabia: Cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact on quality of life (QOL) caused by caring for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and examine the impact according to provincial residence. METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional study conducted from May to July 2019 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah. Eight hundred and twelve participants were included and divided equally into caregivers of children with and without ASDs. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via autism associations and parental support groups across all 13 Saudi Arabian provinces. RESULTS: Caregivers of children with ASDs showed lower scores in most quality-of-life domains compared with those of caregivers of children without ASDs (p<0.05, except for one domain). The impacts of additional factors were considered, including the caregivers’ age, the relation of the caregiver to the child, the specific province of residence, and the provision of medical services. CONCLUSION: A significant negative correlation was found between caregiving for children with ASDs and quality-of-life scores.