A Comparative Analysis on Quality of Life in Mothers of Autistic, Blind, and Normal-Functioning Children

Abstract

Background: Quality of life largely depends on one's perception about different aspects life. The present investigation aimed at comparing the quality of life of mothers with autistic, blind, or normal-functioning children. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was done in a population of 146 mothers of children who aged 6-15 years old, in Shiraz, within the period 2013-2014. Ninety six mothers had children who were either blind or autistic, while 50 had children with no disabilities. Participants were enrolled through multi-stage cluster sampling method. The Quality of Life (QoL) questionnaire-100 was employed to collect data and one-way ANOVA was used to analyze results. Results: Findings demonstrated a significant difference in QoL of mothers with autistic, blind, and normal-functioning children. Mothers with normal-functioning children had higher levels of QoL than those with blind kids. In addition, the QoL of mothers with autistic children was lower than the other two groups. Conclusion: Considering the importance of quality of life in mothers' life and subsequent family functioning, relevant programs need to be pursued to improve conflict resolution in distressed groups.