Quality of Life Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental condition associated with sustained psychological, social, and economic demands on families, particularly parents as primary caregivers. These demands can meaningfully reduce caregivers’ quality of life (QoL), and evidence from resource-constrained settings remains limited. Objective: To assess QoL among parents of children with ASD across physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan (January–June 2023) at tertiary hospitals and autism centers. Using purposive sampling, 133 parents of children diagnosed with ASD were recruited. QoL was assessed with the WHOQOL-BREF. Data were analyzed using SPSS v21 and summarized using frequencies, percentages, and domain-level scores.  Results: Overall QoL and general health were rated at 60%. Physical health showed the highest domain score (74%), followed by the environmental domain (70%), while psychological health and social relationships were both 66%. Globally, 34.6% rated QoL as good, 38.3% neutral, and 27.1% bad. Neutral responses were common across psychological, social, and environmental indicators, particularly regarding emotional well-being, financial sufficiency, and leisure opportunities.  Conclusion: Parents of children with ASD experience moderately constrained QoL, with psychological, social, and environmental domains most affected. Family-centered psychosocial support and improved access to supportive services should be integrated into ASD care pathways.