Date

9-25-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)

Chair

Mary Deacon

Keywords

Quality of Life, severe autism, caregivers, mothers of severely autistic children

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of autism in the United States is 1 in 31 individuals. Out of that number, 27% are children with severe autism and potentially profound comorbidities that require 24-hour surveillance due to their severe symptomology. The primary caregivers for these children are their mothers, and research shows that mothers are subjected to multiple stressors that result from providing a high level of care for their children. These stresses include emotional, social, financial, adjusting to new roles, trauma, and changes in family dynamics, which impact multiple domains of life, including the mothers’ physical, emotional, social, and environmental concerns caused by the severity of their child’s autism. To date, little research has examined the quality of life of mothers of children with autism in the United States. The study’s findings indicated that mothers of severely autistic children under the age of 22 currently rated their physical well-being, emotional health, social encounters, and their overall concerns related to the severity of their child’s symptoms as poor to fair. The study also compared the mothers’ quality of life prior to their child’s diagnosis to their current quality of life. The overall results revealed a diminished quality of life for mothers in all four domains, with a significant decrease from prior to their child’s diagnosis to their current ratings. The study results, implications, limitations, and further research recommendations are discussed as they relate to addressing this preliminary examination of providing.

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