“We are exhausted, worn out, and broken”: Understanding the impact of service satisfaction on caregiver well-being

Abstract

Few studies exist that have examined the impact of service-related factors and system-level disruptions (i.e., the pandemic) on families of autistic children in Canada using large sample sizes. To address this gap, the goal of this research was to examine the impact of satisfaction with autism services on caregiver stress, controlling for important demographic variables, such as family income, marital status, and child level of support needs. The impact of navigating and accessing services on parent well-being was also explored. A total of 1810 primary caregivers of autistic children or youth living in Ontario, Canada completed a survey with both closed- and open-ended questions in the summer of 2021. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to examine the impact of satisfaction with autism services on caregiver stress. Open-ended responses on the survey from a subset of the sample (n = 637) were coded using thematic analysis to understand the impact of navigating and accessing services on parent well-being. Satisfaction with services significantly predicted caregiver stress after controlling for marital support, family income, and child level of support needs. Qualitative analysis revealed impacts of navigating and accessing services in three areas: (1) Physical, (2) Emotional/Psychological, and (3) Financial Well-being. Understanding parent perceptions of satisfaction with services can shed light on strategies for improving services that support parent well-being.