PREDICTORS OF COUPLE SATISFACTION AMONG PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Abstract
Objectives
To find the predictors for couple satisfaction among parents of primary school children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Methods
Seven hundred ninty-four (397 pairs) parents of children aged 7-14 years old with ASD participated in the study. Demographic information and questionnaires about caregiving, couple satisfaction, level of autistic behavior, parents' perceived stress, perceived social support, and interpersonal problems were completed and analysed by linear regression.
Results
The fathers' mean age was 36.33 years old (SD,3.4); mothers' 35.36 years old (SD,3.0). Nearly 90% of the couples had lived together for at least 10 years. There was no difference between fathers and mothers regarding sociodemographic and psychosocial variables except age, education level, interpersonal problems, and time spent with the child. Linear regression showed that fathers' age, age of first child, time spent for caretaking of children, perceived stress, perceived social support and interpersonal problems predicted the couples' satisfaction for fathers, whereas mothers' education, monthly income, time spent for caretaking of children, severity of autistic symptoms, perceived stress, perceived social support, and interpersonal problems predicted the couples' satisfaction for mothers.
Conclusions
Although, the level of couple satisfaction between fathers and mothers does not differ, the predictors for the satisfaction in couple relationship are different. The severity of autistic symptoms is associated with couple satisfaction among mothers, suggesting the relationship might be impacted by the mothers' burden for providing care of the children. Perceived social support and interpersonal problems are important predictors for couple satisfaction. Further research on intervention focusing on providing support and interpersonal problems should be encouraged.
