Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Adults With Autism: Role of Caregiver Burden, Health, and Social Support of Compound and Noncompound Caregivers

Factors influencing the quality of life (QOL) of parents living with at least one adult child with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) was examined in a sample of 249 caregivers categorized into three types: Compound-1: caring for an adult with ASD along with another adult with a disability; Compound-2: caring for an adult child with ASD and other typically developing child[ren]; and Noncompound: caring for an adult child with ASD. Quantitative analyses indicated that self-reported caregiver health was significantly associated with the QOL for all types of caregivers, while the perceptions of caregiving burden and availability of informal social support varied by type of caregiver. Findings provide insight into the need for professionals to augment support to address the needs of aging parents who have compound caregiving responsibilities that can affect their QOL.