Quality of Life and Depressive Symptomatology in Mothers of Individuals with Autism

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the Quality of Life (QOL) and the presence of the depressive symptoms in mothers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Participants included 40 women, between 28 and 72 years old, married, with medium-low income and education levels, and with children between 10 and 40 years old. The instruments used were a social demographic and health characterization questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-Bref) questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BDI-II and BHS), and the Baptista Depression Scale Adult Version (EBADEP A). The quality of life and the presence of depressive symptoms in mothers did not show significant correlation with the child's age. However, there was high and negative correlation between the quality of life and high levels of depressive symptoms and moderate correlation between environment and income. It concludes the necessity of preventive and therapeutic interventions for these mothers.

摘要 本研究旨在调查自闭症谱系障碍（Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD）患儿母亲的生活质量（Quality of Life, QOL）与抑郁症状罹患情况。本研究共纳入40名已婚女性作为受试者，年龄介于28至72岁，均具有中低收入水平与中等偏低的受教育程度，其子女年龄在10至40岁之间。本次研究采用的评估工具包括社会人口学与健康特征调查问卷、世界卫生组织生活质量简表（World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, WHOQOL-BREF）、贝克抑郁量表第二版与贝克无望量表（Beck Depression Inventory-II, BDI-II 与 Beck Hopelessness Scale, BHS），以及巴普蒂斯塔成人抑郁量表（Baptista Depression Scale Adult Version, EBADEP A）。研究结果显示，患儿母亲的生活质量与抑郁症状均与子女年龄无显著相关性；然而，生活质量与重度抑郁症状水平呈显著负相关，且生活质量的环境维度与收入水平呈中等程度相关。本研究结论指出，需为这类母亲群体开展预防性与治疗性干预措施。