PhD student, Nursing College, King Saud University, (Community and Mental Health Nursing), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Associate Professor, Nursing College, King Saud University, (Community and Mental Health Nursing), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
J Pediatr Nurs. 2024 Jul-Aug;77:e117-e124. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2024.03.039. Epub 2024 Apr 1.
Few researchers have examined gender differences in the quality of life (QoL) of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in diverse cultural contexts. The purpose of this study was to identify how ASD severity, affiliate stigma, perceived social support, family functioning, and coping strategies differentially predict the QoL of mothers and fathers of children with ASD in Saudi Arabia.
Based on a cross-sectional research design, data were gathered between April and July 2023 from a convenience sample of 376 parents (220 mothers and 156 fathers) of children with ASD in Saudi Arabia. Welch's t-test and regression were used to achieve the study purpose.
Mothers of children with ASD reported lower QoL, perceived social support, and family functioning than fathers. Mothers relied on emotion-focused coping strategies, whereas fathers used problem-focused coping strategies. Furthermore, affiliate stigma, perceived social support, and family functioning significantly predicted the QoL of mothers and fathers of children with ASD. However, the severity of ASD affected only the QoL of the mothers. Problem-focused coping significantly predicted fathers' QoL but not mothers' QoL.
The results highlight gender differences in the factors that predict the QoL of parents of children with ASD in Saudi Arabia.
Healthcare professionals should consider parents' gender when providing support and interventions to improve parental QoL.
在不同文化背景下，很少有研究关注自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童父母的生活质量（QoL）的性别差异。本研究的目的是确定 ASD 严重程度、附属耻辱感、感知社会支持、家庭功能和应对策略如何不同地预测沙特阿拉伯 ASD 儿童的母亲和父亲的 QoL。
基于横断面研究设计，2023 年 4 月至 7 月期间，从沙特阿拉伯的 376 名 ASD 儿童的父母（220 名母亲和 156 名父亲）中收集了便利样本数据。使用 Welch t 检验和回归来实现研究目的。
ASD 儿童的母亲报告的 QoL、感知社会支持和家庭功能低于父亲。母亲依赖情绪聚焦的应对策略，而父亲则使用问题聚焦的应对策略。此外，附属耻辱感、感知社会支持和家庭功能显著预测了 ASD 儿童的母亲和父亲的 QoL。然而，ASD 的严重程度仅影响母亲的 QoL。问题聚焦的应对策略显著预测了父亲的 QoL，但不预测母亲的 QoL。
研究结果突出了沙特阿拉伯 ASD 儿童父母的 QoL 预测因素中的性别差异。
医疗保健专业人员在提供支持和干预措施以改善父母的 QoL 时，应考虑父母的性别。
