Leisure, community, workforce participation and quality of life in primary and secondary caregivers of autistic children
This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.
About the autistic author markerDavy, G., Barbaro, J., Unwin, K., Clark, M. L. E., Jellett, R., Date, P., Muniandy, M., & Dissanayake, C. (2024). Leisure, community, workforce participation and quality of life in primary and secondary caregivers of autistic children. Autism Research, 17(4), 799-811. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3113
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Authors
Abstract
Abstract Parents of Autistic children often modify their participation in leisure, social, and employment activities to meet the caregiving needs of their child. However, few studies have examined the impact this has on caregiver quality of life (QoL). The aim in the current study was to examine the role of participation in a range of activities on QoL amongst primary and secondary caregivers of school‐aged Autistic children. Eighty‐eight primary (93% mothers) and 63 secondary (91% fathers) caregivers of Autistic children (aged 7‐ to 12‐years) participated in this cross‐sectional study, with time pressure, participation, social support, parenting stress, and QoL measured via an online questionnaire. Compared to secondary caregivers, primary caregivers reported fewer employment hours, increased time pressure, less participation in desired activities, and higher perceived responsibility of domestic and child‐rearing tasks. Similar levels of leisure frequency, parenting stress, and QoL were identified by both caregivers. Hierarchical regression revealed caregiver participation as important for QoL in both primary and secondary caregivers. However, when measures of caregiver well‐being were added to the model, the unique contribution of participation to QoL was reduced, particularly for secondary caregivers. Overall, the findings demonstrate that despite differences in caregiver roles and responsibilities, participation in meaningful activities was important for QoL in all caregivers.
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Cited bibliography overview
These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 01:04.
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- From DOI or external metadata
- 235
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