19177
The Relationship Between Adaptive Functioning and Social Responsiveness in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Caregiver Quality of Life (QoL)
Objectives: This study explored how caregivers’ report of child adaptive functioning and social responsiveness is related to caregiver QoL.
Methods: Children with previous diagnosis of ASD (aged 8-11 with caregiver-reported functional verbal and cognitive skills) and their caregivers completed questionnaires prior to participation in a social skills group. Caregivers (n=25) completed questionnaires that assessed child adaptive functioning (BASC-2) and social responsiveness (SRS-2) and caregiver QoL (Health Related Quality of Life and Generic Core Parent Report on the PedsQL). Children (n=25) completed a self-report questionnaire of their QoL (Generic Core Child Report on the PedsQL).
Results: Caregivers’ and children’s self-report of QoL was similarly high (caregiver: M =56.39 out of 81.52, SD =13.64; child: M =73.90 out of 96.73, SD =15.58). Children’s adaptive functioning (BASC-2) was positively correlated with caregivers’ QoL (Health Related Quality of Life: [r(24) = .56, p = .020]; Generic Core Parent Report: [r(14) = .69, p = .003]). Children’s social responsiveness (SRS-2) was negatively correlated with caregivers’ Health Related Quality of Life [r(14) = -.53, p = .034].
Conclusions: Preliminary data indicate that stronger child social skills are correlated with lower health-related QoL in caregivers, suggesting that increased social insight may be related to increased caregiver awareness of health-related concerns. Additionally, stronger child adaptive functioning was correlated with higher caregiver QoL, which implies that child adaptive functioning and quality QoL in caregivers may be related.