Does family quality of life get better as the years go by? A comparative mixed-methods study between early years and school-aged children with disability in Australia

Abstract

This Australian study compared perspectives of family quality of life (FQOL) of parents of preschool children attending early childhood intervention services (ECIS) with parents of school-aged children with disability. It examined the relationships between disability-related services, parent occupations, and FQOL. Two mixed-methods studies with 122 participants and 24 in-depth interviews were conducted. The first study included 72 parents attending ECIS. The second study included 50 parents of school-aged children with disability. The quantitative aspect (N = 122) used the Beach Center FQOL survey and a demographic questionnaire. Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted for each study. Spearmann's Rho correlations for quantitative data analysis and thematic analysis for qualitative data were used for each study. A two-way analysis of variance along with a qualitative comparative analysis were conducted to compare the findings from both studies. Results indicated lower scores on FQOL in parents with school-aged children when compared with the ECIS group. Loss of work, lack of time for caregiver health, lack of respite, and interim residential care had detrimental impacts on parents' long-term well-being. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the hardships and challenges of caregiving increase as the child gets older; however, positive adaptations, beliefs, and positive transformations help FQOL. Family-centered care and supportive practitioners assist FQOL and are highly recommended.