FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the quality of life of caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. An integrative literature review was conducted, and articles retrieved from the secondary databases Virtual Health Library, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, Scientific Electronic Library Online, and Online System for Searching and Analyzing Medical Literature were analyzed using the descriptors quality of life, autism spectrum disorder, and caregivers. The results indicate that the factor with the greatest negative impact on quality of life is not the diagnosis itself, but the presence of disruptive behaviors and sleep disorders in the child, which cause physical exhaustion and social isolation for the caregiver; support from a partner and community networks proved to be the main protective factor, caregivers with a robust support network show higher resilience scores, lower incidence of anxiety and depression symptoms, and better quality of life, while exclusive dedication and the abandonment of personal and professional projects to meet the child’s therapeutic needs result in a sharp decline in quality of life in the environmental and financial domains. It is emphasized that care planning should include the caregiver as a subject of care, ensuring support so that the exercise of parenting does not lead to the exclusion of their own subjectivity.