BURDEN OF CAREGIVING AND LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG THE CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

OBJECTIVE: To examine the predictive relationship between burden of caregiving and life satisfaction among the caregivers of children with Autism METHODS: This correlational study was conducted from January - June 2019, on 71 caregivers of ASD patients from different cities of Punjab province, registered with different autism treatment centers, Lahore-Pakistan. Informed consent was taken from caregivers, selected through purposive sampling technique. Caregiver burden scale by Zarit Burden Scale was used to measure family burden while Satisfaction with Life Scale by Diener ED, was used to measure life satisfaction among the care givers. RESULTS: Out of 71 caregivers of children with ASD, 55 (77.5%) were females and 16 (22.5%) were males. Caregivers ranged in age from 20-55 years and majority (n=33/71: 46.5%) were from 31-40 years age group. Forty-seven (66.2%) caregivers belonged to joint family. Majority (36/71, 50.7%) of caregivers had 1-3 children and 24 (33.8%) caregivers had 4-6 children. Zarit Burden Scale has a high reliability (alpha=.84) and Life Satisfaction Scale has satisfactory reliability (alpha=.74) for current sample. The findings of the study revealed significant negative relationship between burden of caregiving and life satisfaction (r=-0.33, p<0.05). Regression analysis predicted family burden to be negatively associated with life satisfaction alpha=-0.17, p<0.05. The results reported significant effect of levels of burden on life satisfaction (R-2=0.11,p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Caregiver burden negatively predicts the life satisfaction indicating that caregivers who experience more burden are less satisfied with life.