Using network analysis to identify factors influencing the heath-related quality of life of parents caring for an autistic child

Background

Raising an autistic child is associated with increased parenting stress relative to raising typically developing children. Increased parenting stress is associated with lower parent wellbeing, which in turn can negatively impact child wellbeing.

Aims

The current study sought to quantify parenting stress and parent health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the autism context, and further understand the relationship between them by employing a relatively novel statistical method, Network Analysis.

Methods and Procedures

This cross-sectional study involved 476 parents of an autistic child. Parents completed an online survey requesting information on parent and child characteristics, parent’s perceptions of their autistic child’s symptoms and problem behaviours, and assessed their parenting stress and HRQOL.

Outcomes and Results

Relative to normative data, parent HRQOL was significantly lower in terms of physical health and mental wellbeing. The structure extracted by the Network Analysis indicated that child age and externalising behaviours were the main contributors to parenting stress, and that externalising behaviours, ASD core behavioural symptoms, and parenting stress predicted HRQOL.

Conclusions and Implications

Parental responses to child-related factors likely determine parent HRQOL. Findings are discussed in relation to the transactional model, emphasising the importance of both parent and child wellbeing.