Numerous research showed having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect families in many ways (Brace, 2009; DeGrace, 2004; Fantaroni, 2012). The primary types of impact include family relationship (spousal and sibling relationships), finances, and access to resources and services to assist with caring for the social, emotional and academic development of a child with autism (Grindle & Remington, 2014; Harper et al., 2013; Koydemir & Tosun, 2009; Ludlow, Skelly, & Rohleder, 2011; Montes & Cianca, 2014). While extensive studies have shown similar findings of the impact of autism on family quality of life in America and other places in the world, such as Africa, East of England and London, Jamaica, Toronto and Turkey, limited or no research has shown the impact of autism on family quality of life in The Bahamas. This study expands those findings and identifies parent perceptions of the quality of life for a family raising a child or children with ASD in The Bahamas. The purpose of this study was to identify parent perceptions of the quality of life for a family raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in The Bahamas. This study employed the Beach Center on Disability (2006) Family Quality of Life Survey to collect data from a purposive and chain sample of 56 parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorder in The Bahamas. The data from the survey was statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, skewness, kurtosis, and correlation, and inferential statistics such as multiple regression, and coding for the four open-ended questions. The results of this study revealed the family quality of life for parents raising a child with ASD in The Bahamas was overall satisfactory with family interactions, parenting, and physical/material well-being being the areas of most satisfied, while emotional well-being and disability-related support were the least satisfied. The predictors for parenting, and emotional well-being were statistically significant for severity level, and educational level, respectively. The predictors for parenting a child with mild (p = 0.01) or moderate (p = 0.05) autism were higher than raising a child with severe autism. The predictor for emotional well-being for families with mother/guardian’s education level of a bachelor’s degree were the highest predictor and was statistically significant (p = 0.02). However, the predictor for emotional well-being for families with father/guardian’s education level of a bachelor’s degree was lower than father/guardian’s education level of a graduate/professional degree, which was statistical significant (p = .03). The correlation analysis revealed there was a positive and strong relationship between family interactions and physical/material well-being (p = .0003), and a positive and strong relationship between physical/material well-being and disability-related support (p = .0001). Emotional well-being and disability-related support also had a positive and strong relationship (p = .0001), and emotional well-being and physical/material well-being also had a positive and strong relationship (p = .0001). Educational workshop was identified as the dominant resources, but many indicated the lack of available resources. Evidence-based intervention (applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy) were identified as intervention/therapy services received, but most indicated the lack of available intervention/therapy, financial distress paying for these services, and dissatisfaction seeking resources and intervention services for their child with ASD. This study was significant as it highlighted and added to the knowledge relevant to parent perceptions of family quality of life raising a child with ASD. Identifying these perceptions would be useful toward improving services for families of children with ASD in The Bahamas. In addition, information gathered would assist in further development of effective programming initiatives specific for this population.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-97).

The dissertation is about quality of life in children's homes and children referred to foster family care in Central Bohemian Region. Theoretical part charecterizes quality of life, needs and rights of a child, family and their functions. In next part it describes foster care, deals with foster family care, institutional care and question of transformation and unification of system of care of endangered children in The Czech Republic. The empirical part is pointed to comparison overall quality of children life in children's homes and foster care, their orientation in values, satisfaction in particular parts of their life. The results point to spheres where stated groups are different, where are the same and offer possibilities for next research in this area.

Les troubles du spectre de l’autisme (TSA) affectent la qualité de vie familiale. Des programmes de formation aux habiletés parentales (PFHP) sont susceptibles d’entraîner une amélioration du stress parental et du comportement de l’enfant. Cette étude vise à développer et évaluer un PFHP francophone basé sur l’analyse appliquée du comportement. Ce PFHP a été évalué auprès d’un groupe pilote de 6 parents. Une augmentation des connaissances sur les TSA et les pratiques éducatives est observée ainsi qu’une amélioration du comportement de l’enfant. Les parents considèrent les objectifs ciblés comme importants, les procédures transmises comme acceptables et les effets observés comme satisfaisants. Le PFHP a été amélioré et évalué auprès de 18 parents. Une augmentation des connaissances et des pratiques éducatives est observée avec une amélioration des compétences sociales des enfants. Pour 16 parents, une amélioration au niveau du stress est remarquée. Un manuel de ce PFHP a été élaboré. / Parents of children with ASD face many challenges that affect their well-being. Parent trainings (PT) in young children with ASD are known for improving the child’s behaviors and reducing parenting stress. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a French parent training that is based on applied behavior analysis. An initial efficacy study was conducted with 6 parents. Parents have significantly improved their knowledge in ASD and behavioral intervention strategies. They reported an improvement in their child’s behavior. The PT was considered by the parents as effective, the methods used as acceptable and the objectives targeted as important. This promising PT was then improved and evaluated on 18 more parents. Parents have again improved their knowledge in ASD and behavioral strategies whereas children’s socialization skills have improved as well. For 16 parents, the PT has an additional decreasing effect on stress. A manual has been developed with this PT.

本研究旨在探討智能障礙者雙老家庭之照顧負荷、家庭復原力與家庭生活品質的關係，並檢驗家庭復原力對照顧負荷與家庭生活品質之調節情形。 本研究採取問卷調查法，採便利取樣方式進行資料蒐集工作，研究對象為79戶雙老家庭。資料分析以t考驗、單因子變異數分析、皮爾森積差相關分析與階層迴歸分析進行。研究主要結果如下： 一、雙老家庭的照顧負荷程度高，然家庭復原力及家庭生活品質的現況表現也普遍較高； 二、照顧負荷與家庭復原力具有顯著負相關； 三、照顧負荷與家庭生活品質具有顯著的負相關； 四、家庭復原力與家庭生活品質具有顯著的正相關； 五、家庭復原力可調節照顧負荷對家庭生活品質之負向效果。 本研究根據問卷調查結果，提出實務與後續研究之建議。 / The purpose of this study was to probe into the relations between care burden, family resilience and family quality of life of the double-ageing families that contain old parents and their children with intellectual disability, and to examine the moderating effects of the family resilience of care burden and the family quality of life. A questionnaire survey was used in the study which recruited 79 double-ageing families. The data of questionnaire survey were analyzed by t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson product-moment analysis, and hierarchical regression analysis. The results of the study were described as the followings： 1.Care burden of caregiver is in high-level；Family resilience and family quality of life levels of double-ageing families are positive, between mid-level and high-level. 2.There was significant negative correlation between care burden and family resilience. 3.There was significant negative correlation between care burden and family quality of life. 4.There was significant positive correlation between family resilience and family quality of life. 5.The family resilience moderated the negative effects of the family quality of life caused from care burden. Based on the results from the questionnaire survey, some suggestions for practice and future studies were proposed.