Factors associated with the unmet needs of parents of children with autism in Qatar

Abstract

Objective: The current study examined whether the unmet needs of parents of children with autism in Qatar predicted parent well-being and whether sociodemographic factors and child characteristics were associated with parental unmet needs. Background: Parents of children with autism have unmet needs that may negatively impact family members. There is little research examining unmet needs outside Europe or North America. Method: Participants of this cross-sectional, correlational study were 41 parents of a child with autism residing in Qatar. Parents completed surveys in Arabic about their sociodemographic characteristics, their unmet needs, their well-being, social support, and their child's behavior. Results: Regression analyses were performed to test the research questions. Greater unmet needs were a significant predictor of life satisfaction. Child behavior problems were a significant predictor of unmet needs, namely the need for family support and help explaining their child's diagnosis to others. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the unmet needs of parents of children with autism are negatively associated with life satisfaction and are heightened in families where children have more behavior problems. Implications: The Qatar government developed a national plan for autism and our results underscore the need to implement programs to support families of children with autism. An important first step is to ensure that developmentally appropriate information is provided to families and to facilitate connections between families and other stakeholders (e.g., other parents and service providers) in their community.