Quality of Life, Coping Strategies, and Psychosocial Support Status of Caregivers Having Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Study From Bangladesh

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 9; p. e68640
• Main Authors: Tasnim, Anika, Salwa, Marium, Islam, Sharmin, Khan, Md Maruf Haque, Islam, Mohammad Tanvir, Ratan, Zubair Ahmed, Towhid, Muhammad Ibrahim Ibne, Al Mamun, Mohammad Abdullah, Amin, Md Robed, Haque, M Atiqul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 04-09-2024
• Subjects: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Autism; Caregivers; Cerebral palsy; Children & youth; Coping; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Disability; Families & family life; Likert scale; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Parents & parenting; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Stress; Validity; Bangladesh; stress; quality of life (qol); bangladesh; caregiver distress; neurodevelopmental disabilities; psychosocial support
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.68640

Background Although caregiving is considered a normal phenomenon for parents, delivering care to a child with neurodevelopmental disabilities can be taxing and disastrously impact parents' quality of life (QoL). This study explored the relationship between QoL, coping strategies, and psychosocial support status of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Methodology This cross-sectional study included 906 caregivers of children having neurodevelopmental disabilities utilizing the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief and Perceived Stress Scale. A tailored questionnaire gauged coping strategies and psychosocial support. Linear regression was used to identify significant contributors. Results Most caregivers (78.8%) experienced a moderate level of stress, and their QoL scores were 14.4 (SD = 2.5) for physical health, 12.0 (SD = 2.4) for psychological health, 14.6 (SD = 1.9) for social relationships, and 12.1 (SD = 2.1) for the environment. Mothers had the lowest QoL of all caregivers. Negative influences on QoL encompassed caregiver and child age, perceived stress, and lower socioeconomic status. A higher coping score positively predicted a high health-related QoL score. Gender differences were observed in psychosocial support sources. Conclusions The study underscores the need for policymaking considering findings to develop psychosocial intervention programs for enhancing the QoL of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.