CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER QUALITY OF LIFE AND SPIRITUAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Year 2024, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 95 - 110, 31.12.2024

Remziye Araz , Sümeyya Koçhan , Menevşe Yıldırım

https://doi.org/10.54467/trjasw.1488780

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of quality of life and spiritual needs of caregivers of children with “Autism Spectrum Disorder”, and to examine the relationship between the two variables and the sociodemographic characteristics that may influence the variables.
Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. The population of the study consisted of caregivers (n=230) of autistic children registered in two public rehabilitation centers. 187 caregivers were reached using the convenience sampling method. The data were collected online via "Google Forms" from September 30, 2021, to August 30, 2022. The data collected using the "Sociodemographic Data Form," "Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire-Parent Version," and "Spirituality Scale" were evaluated with descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and correlation analysis. Post-hoc Bonferroni correction was applied (p < 0.05).
Results: The quality of life of caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder was above average, and their levels of spirituality were high. The relationship between the quality of life and spirituality levels of caregivers was weak. Quality of life scores varied based on age, gender, educational status, occupation, income level, proximity to the autistic child, chronic disease status, and age of the autistic child. Spirituality scores varied based on the gender of the caregiver and their level of closeness to the autistic child.
Conclusions: As a result, spirituality scores measured during the pandemic are high and quality of life is at a level that can be improved. Sociodemographic variables of caregivers may cause differences in quality of life and spirituality scores.

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder, Caregiver, Covid-19 pandemic, Spirituality, Quality of life (qol).

Ethical Statement

Institutional permission was obtained from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Health Sciences Ethics Committee (Protocol No: 210004, Decision No: 7, Date: 05.11.2021), as well as from the scale owners and two rehabilitation centers to conduct the study. Before collecting the study data, parents were briefly informed about the purpose and scope of the study. Those who voluntarily agreed to participate could proceed to fill out the questionnaires, while the study was terminated for those who did not.

Supporting Institution

This research was supported with project number 1919B012104090 within the scope of "TÜBİTAK 2209-A University Students Research Projects Support Program".

Project Number

1919B012104090

Thanks

We thank all family members who participated during data collection.

Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu Olan Çocuklara Bakımverenlerin COVID-19 Pandemisinde Yaşam Kalitesi ve Manevi Gereksinimleri

Abstract

Project Number

1919B012104090

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