Quality of Life in siblings of autistic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the Quality of Life (QoL) among siblings of autistic patients.


METHODS
Casuistic: siblings of autistic patients (n = 31) and, as a control group, siblings of patients with speech disorder (n = 30).


METHODS
age between 7 and 11 years old; absence of current mental disorder; regular attendance to school.


METHODS
antecedents of clinical or psychiatric diseases; disabilities (visual, auditive or motor); antecedents of cognitive and/or intelligence disabilities. Instruments included a questionnaire which evaluated the quality of life in a subjective way.


RESULTS
it was observed worse QoL among siblings of autistic patients (p = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
The hypothesis that the quality of life was compromised in children (aged 7 to 11) by the presence of an autistic sibling was confirmed, and was worse than that of siblings of children with speech disorders.
Marciano
Adriana Regina Ferreira
AR
Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service (SEPIA), Institute of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Scheuer
Cláudia Ines
CI
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012801:Sibling Relations; D035781:Siblings; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000523:psychology