Quality of Life Psychosocial Determinants for Parents of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorders in Jordan

The psychological well-being and the quality of life (QoL) of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are adversely affected. A greater need to assess these predictors is recommended to address the Jordanian cultural gap. This study explored the relationships between sociodemographic variables, social support, psychological distress, and QoL among parents of children with and without ASD in Jordan. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to recruit 160 participants, with 80 participants in each group of parents. Multiple regression analysis was used to build the best-fit predictive model of QoL. Parents of children with ASD reported higher depression, anxiety, and stress levels, and lower social support and QoL than parents of children without ASD. Depression, educational level, and employment status were the only significant predictors of QoL among parents of children with ASD. Interventions should target psychosocial determinants of parental QoL, taking into consideration the cultural context.