title: Caring for a child with autism spectrum disorder and parents' quality of life: application of the CarerQol.
abstract: This study describes the impact of caregiving on parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Secondly, we investigate construct validation of the care-related quality of life instrument (CarerQol) measuring impact of caregiving. Primary caregivers of children with ASDs were included. Many parents experienced considerable problems combining daily activities with care, had financial problems or suffered from depressive mood. Validity tests showed that a higher impact of caring on the CarerQol was positively associated with higher subjective burden and lower family quality of life. Most of the associations between CarerQol scores and background characteristics confirmed previous research. The CarerQol validly measures the impact of caregiving for children with ASDs on caregivers in our sample. The CarerQol may therefore be useful for including parent outcomes in research on ASDs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, hoefman@bmg.eur.nl.
authors.forename: Renske
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoefman
authors.forename: Nalin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Payakachat
authors.forename: Job
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Exel
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuhlthau
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pyne
authors.forename: J Mick
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tilford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires