Research On Family Quality Of Life Of Families With The Autistic Children In Shanghai

FQOL is defined as existence of conditions in which families are satisfied that their needs are met, enjoy spending time with each other, and have opportunities to do those things they find important. Due to the core obstacles of the autistic children, the family quality of life of families with a autistic child has met with unprecedented challenges. Therefore, based on literature research, we investigated 211 families with autistic children in secondary school in Shanghai through semi-structured interviews and using "Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale" and "the factors of family quality of life questionnaire for the families with autistic children". Then we conducted a case study to a family with a autistic children, which provided expert support to this family according to the basic situation and the specific needs of the family.The results are in the following:(1) The situation of subjective family quality of life of families with autistic children is poor economic conditions, common housing conditions and large differences among different families; the situation of objective family quality of life of families with autistic children is higher importance scores and the lower satisfaction scores and life satisfaction scores is significantly below the importance scores. Importance scores from high to low in order is "family interaction & disability-relative support", "parenting & Physical/material well-being", "emotion well-being"; Satisfaction scores from high to low in order is "family interaction", "physical/material well-being & parenting", "emotion well-being & disability-relative support".(2) The characteristics of the satisfaction to family quality of life with a autistic child are:the families with a 11～12-year-old child has higher satisfaction scores in emotional needs than those with a 7-8-year-old, 9～10-year-old and 15～16-year-old children; the families whose child has fewer problem behaviors has higher satisfaction scores in parenting than those whose child has more problem behaviors; the parents whose parenting skills is higher has higher satisfaction scores in overall scores than those whose parenting skills is lower; the families who has slightly higher income has higher satisfaction scores in family interaction and material needs than those has lower income.(3)The main influencing factors for the satisfaction scores in family quality of life from high to low in order are "family atmosphere", "parents’ attitudes", the problems of children" and "the social support". But "parenting skills and the economy pressure" play no significant role in predicting the overall satisfaction degree in family quality of life. They are playing a significant role in predicting the satisfaction degree in sectional family quality of life.(4) Based on the theory of influencing factors of family quality of life and the specific needs of family with autistic children, providing expert support can improve the satisfaction scores to family quality of life of the family with autistic children.