A Survey on Quality of Life and Coping Strategies among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Malaysia

This study aimed to examine the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and coping strategies adopted by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 47 parents who had at least one son or daughter with ASD, and were recruited from three NGOs in Malaysia. Approval from the person in charge of the three NGOs and informed consent from participants were obtained before conducting the study. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and questionnaire survey method was used to collect data. In the questionnaire, participants needed to fill in their demographic information and two scales - the WHOQOL-BREF and brief COPE. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between problem-based coping strategies and QoL. This finding can provide a better understanding of how coping strategies relate to QoL among parents of children with ASD. Program developers at NGOs may consider applying the findings into their programs and policies to improve the QoL of parents of children with ASD.