Laimutė Samsonienė, Michail Bencion Malkin, Jonas Kairys, Algirdas Juozulynas
Abstract
The aim of this study is to reveal problematic factors of family quality of life between parents raising preschool and school-age children with autism spectrum disorder. The study involved 100 parents of preschool and school age children with autism spectrum disorder. Coherent research strategy was applied, using the questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions. The questionnaire of closed-ended questions was designed to explore the family quality of life of families raising a child with autism spectrum disorder, and open-ended questions – to address features of meeting special needs of family. The research data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS programs. Results. For the reciprocity of family members of families raising preschoolage disabled child are important such factors as nurturing of disabled child (r=0,66), material (r=0,53) and emotional (r=0,51) family welfare, while for parents, raising school-age disabled child nurturing (r= 0,53) and material welfare (r=0,53). Respondents rated poorly support from the state for the special needs of the family. Only part of the services, necessary for the development of their disabled child, they could afford themselves, while other part of the services they could not afford due to the poor financial situation of the family. Conclusions. Public efforts to take care of living prosperity of families with a disabled child depends on ability to systematically reveal the peculiarities of psychosocial functioning of relationships in the family and social relationships as well as on the needs and expectations of professional assistance to the family from formal and/ or informal structures.
Keyword(s): parents; children with autism spectrum disorder; quality of life; special needs.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2017.045
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