Parents of autistic children face different obstacles and problems that affect the quality of life of all the family members. In particular, mothers are the ones who experience higher levels of stress while carrying the burden and care for autistic children. In the Master’s Thesis, we discuss the quality of family life with an autistic child from the mother’s perspective. Moreover, we discuss the factors affecting the quality of life. In the empirical part, we use the research method of a case study of a family with an autistic child. We focus on the mother’s perspective. In the first part, the participant fulfilled the quality of life scale. In the second part, we interviewed the mother. In the interview, we talk about the most common factors affecting the quality of life of the family with an autistic child. Moreover, we get better insight into the consequences that those factors have on the life of the mother and the whole family.
As shown in our findings, lower adaptive skills and behavioural problems of the child have a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the mother and the whole family. The lack of assistance the mother needed when faced with the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder, is one of the factors that most negatively affect the quality of life. In the past, when the child was younger, the lack of assistance affected the mental health of the mother, since she was stressed, distressed, and had anxiety and panic attacks. Moreover, the mother spent a lot of time alone with the child, since the husband was working. The child's disability harmed the quality of life of the mother and the whole family since the child was not independent and, consequently, he needed more help. To gain independence, the family attended different training, therapies, and additional activities. The findings show that the funding of activities and therapies for an autistic child affects the quality of life. Luckily, the family never endured difficulties due to the funding. But there were many adjustments and sacrifices for the mother to attend the training. Due to the acquired knowledge, the mother easier coped with everyday situations and helped adapt the environment for her child. The aforementioned had a positive impact on the quality of her life and the life of the whole family. Good relationships within the immediate and extended family have a positive effect on the quality of life of the mother and the family. The mother and her family have a lot of support from relatives, which improves the quality of her life, the life of her husband, and her autistic child.
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