scholarly journals The possible relation between stigma, parent psychiatric symptoms, quality of life and the disease burden in families of children with autism spectrum disorder in Egypt: a multicentre study

Author(s):  
Romany H. Gabra ◽  
Doaa F. Hashem ◽  
Gellan K. Ahmed

Abstract Background Most autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interventions evaluated child outcomes and ignoring the role of parent and family factors on both the immediate- and long-term effects of therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between stigma, parent mental health problems, and quality of life and burden in families of children with ASD in Egypt and its risk factors. Seventy parents of ASD children were recruited from two child intervention centers. Participants were divided into two groups based on burden scale: caregivers of moderate burden (n = 27) and caregivers of severe burden (n = 43). All parents were evaluated for demographic data, zarit Burden Interview, socioeconomic scale, symptom checklist–90 (SCL90), Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue Community Stigma Scale (EMIC-CSS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Results Half of the parents reported significant stigma, particularly caregivers with a severe burden. Caregivers with severe burden had more depression and about twice the frequency of sensitivity and somatization problems, lower QoL (20%) as compared with caregivers with moderate burden. Parents with ASD had many associate factors such as work, male autistic children and their caregiver, age of children and parents, the severity of the condition, and disease duration with burden, stigma, QoL, and mental health problems. Conclusions This study linked the interrelationships between increased burden and stigma, impaired quality of life, and parental mental health problems; the presence of one of these variables was found to increase the risk of other variables.

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-107
Author(s):  
A. Ślifirczyk ◽  
E. Krajewska - Kułak ◽  
A. Brayer ◽  
M. Sobolewski ◽  
E. Maciorkowska

Purpose: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 83 families with children with ASD, including 30 families from Poland, 25 from Belarus, and 28 from France. Parental HRQL was surveyed with the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF (WHOQOL–BREF) and KINDLR questionnaires. Results: This study showed that Polish parents reported the lowest quality of life according to the WHOQOL–BREF. Parents from Belarus reported slightly worse HRQL than parents from France, though other aspects of quality of life (e.g, social sphere, somatic sphere) did not differ significantly between these parents. Parents from Poland also reported lower HQOL according to the KINDLR questionnaire, while parents from Belarus had a higher HQRL in the mental, physical, and self-esteem domains compared to parents from Poland and France. Conclusion: Parents from Poland with children with ASD reported lower HRQL both on the WHOQOL–BREF and KINDL R questionnaires compared to parents from Belarus and France.


Author(s):  
Kelly da Silva ◽  
Raphaela Barroso Guedes-Granzotti ◽  
Vanessa Veis Ribeiro ◽  
Rodrigo Dornelas ◽  
Pablo Jordão Alcântara Cruz ◽  
...  

Purpose The aim of this study was to identify the factors that are related to the quality of life and sleep of Brazilian speech-language pathology students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method This study adopted a cross-sectional, descriptive observational design. A total of 161 undergraduate speech-language pathology students participated in this study. The relationship between quality of life and sleep, socioeconomic characteristics, and health problems was examined using correlational analysis. Participant data were collected using an online form, which included questions that assessed their socioeconomic and health characteristics during the pandemic; the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; and the first two questions of the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief Version. Results There were relationships between sleep dysfunction, a reduction in household income during the pandemic, membership to a risk group, living with at-risk individuals, time spent on the Internet (hours), and the purpose underlying Internet use. Satisfaction with health was related to membership to a risk group. Perceptions of the negative impact of the pandemic on mental health were related to sleep dysfunction and quality of life during the pandemic. Conclusion The present findings underscore the need for policies that promote health, prevent diseases, and address mental health problems during times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 864 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. McCarthy ◽  
L.I.S.A. Underwood ◽  
H. Hayward ◽  
E. Chaplin ◽  
A. Forrester ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 112 (1) ◽  
pp. 266-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilknur Cifci Tekinarslan

This study aimed to compare the quality of life and depression levels in Turkish mothers of children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An additional purpose is to identify whether the depression and quality of life levels of the mothers differ significantly based on demographic variables. Two hundred fifty-two mothers participated in the study. The World Health Organization's Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF–TR) assessment instrument was used to determine the mothers' quality of life and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to characterize their depression. Mothers of children with cerebral palsy had significantly lower quality of life scores on the environment and national environment domains of the WHOQOL-BREF–TR than those of children with Down syndrome. No significant difference was observed in the depression of mothers. With increasing education and income, quality of life of the mothers increased whereas depression decreased. Moreover, depression increased and quality of life decreased in older mothers. Furthermore, the findings indicated significant negative correlations between mothers' depression and quality of life scores on all domains of the WHOQOL-BREF–TR.


Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (8) ◽  
pp. 2046-2056
Author(s):  
Laura Albantakis ◽  
Marie-Luise Brandi ◽  
Imme Christina Zillekens ◽  
Lara Henco ◽  
Leonie Weindel ◽  
...  

High alexithymic traits and psychiatric comorbidities such as depression and social phobia are frequently observed among adults with autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we tested whether alexithymic and/or autistic traits are risk factors for depressive and social phobic symptoms in adults with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 122), patients with social interaction difficulties other than autism ( n = 62), and neurotypical participants ( n = 261). Multiple regression analyses of these three groups demonstrated that both traits explained considerable variance of depressive and social phobic symptoms. In adults with autism spectrum disorder, alexithymic traits were predictive of depressive symptoms, while autistic traits predicted social phobic symptoms. In patients with social interaction difficulties other than autism, alexithymic and autistic traits were identified as predictors of social phobic symptoms, while no variable predicted depressive symptoms. In neurotypicals, both alexithymic and autistic traits were predictive of depressive and social phobic symptoms. Our results, therefore, highlight the importance of assessing both alexithymic and autistic traits in patients with and without autism spectrum disorder for identifying comorbid psychopathology. Depending on the underlying core symptomatology, alexithymic and/or autistic traits increase the risk of depressive and social phobic symptoms calling for therapeutic strategies to prevent or at least reduce comorbid psychopathology. Lay abstract Adults with autism often develop mental health problems such as depression and social phobia. The reasons for this are still unclear. Many studies found that alexithymia plays an important role in mental health problems like depression. People with alexithymia have difficulties identifying and describing their emotions. Almost every second person with autism has alexithymia. Therefore, we explored in this study whether alexithymia is linked to worse mental health in autistic people. We looked at two common diagnoses, depression and social phobia. We found that alexithymia increased symptoms of depression, while autistic traits increased symptoms of social phobia. Our results suggest that alexithymia and autistic traits can increase the risk of mental health problems. An early assessment could help prevent mental health problems and improve quality of life.


Author(s):  
Elainy da S. Camilo Loiola ◽  
Tiago Oliveira Loiola ◽  
Renan Santos Mugrabi

The literature indicates a high prevalence of mental disorders in the university population and reveals the vulnerability of this public to psychic illness. Thus, exploring protective and risk constructs related to mental health problems in higher education students is important to collaborate with more effective interventions. Studies already associate personal and academic characteristics including age, income, and academic performance with mental illness of university students. However, there is still little scientific knowledge about psychosocial predictors such as quality of life to psychological disorders in this population. This study analyzed the predictive effect of quality of life on mental health of academics from a Public University of western Amazonia of Brazil. A cross-sectional design was carried out with 301 university students, who responded to the instruments: Quality of Life of the World Health Organization (WHOQOL-bref); Maslach Burnout Invetory/Student SurveyBI (MBI-SS); General Health Questionnaire (QSG); and a socio-demographic and academic characterization form. The results of the regression analyses indicated that the Quality-of-Life domains predicted the dimensions of emotional exhaustion and professional efficacy of burnout syndrome and influenced the five factors of general health, namely psychic stress, desire for death, distrust in performance capacity, sleep disorders and psychosomatic disorders. These findings suggest that strategies focused on increasing quality of life can mitigate mental health problems among university students.


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