Social Factors for Leading to Life Satisfaction among Residents with Developmental Disorders in Fukushima Prefecture

A developmental disorder is condition in which a person has deficiency in either physical, learning, language, or behavior, and people with developmental disorders often experience difficulties in their social lives. In Japan, no systematic surveys of developmental disorders targeting local residents have been reported, including working-age. Hence, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and determine the psychosocial factors associated with life satisfaction and psychological distress in the Fukushima prefecture. We conducted an Internet questionnaire survey among 4,030 residents (2,136 men and 1,894 women) aged 16-65 years who either had a job or were willing to work. Developmental disorders were defined based on participants' self-reported history diagnosed by a psychiatrist or their responses to screening questionnaires. The prevalence of developmental disorders was 9.6% (n = 386). Subsequently, a secondary survey (on a first-come, first-served basis) was conducted to assess psychosocial factors among those with developmental disorders, and responses were received from 121 men and 79 women aged 16-65. Being a regular employee and disclosing diagnosis at the workplace was associated with higher job satisfaction. The participants living with a spouse and/or their children tended to feel satisfied with their life (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR): 3.55), job (OR: 3.20), and income (OR: 4.68), whereas those living with parents tended to not feel satisfied with their life, job, or income. Working as a regular employee, having co-workers who understand developmental disorders, and living with a spouse or children are important social factors that increase life satisfaction among people with developmental disorders.