What is in a Day? Investigating the Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Quality of Life Among Caregivers of Children With Autism.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sleep quality and quality of life (QOL), or overall level of well-being, in caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the daily level.

Method: This study utilizes mobile ecological momentary assessment (mEMA) to capture daily experiences of caregivers of children with ASD over a period of 14 days. Utilizing mEMA, this study examines relations between sleep quality and QOL and the role of mood and physical health as mediators on the daily level, specifically for caregivers of children with ASD (n = 51). The data were analyzed using multilevel modeling by MLMed macro.

Results: The results suggest that there is a significant positive relation between sleep quality and QOL across individuals. Surprisingly, there was a negative relation between sleep quality and QOL within individuals. The positive relationship between sleep quality and QOL across participants was explained through positive mood across individuals. Furthermore, this relationship also occurred through better physical health across and within individuals.

Conclusion: For caregivers of children with ASD, daily positive mood and better physical health explain the relationship between daily sleep quality and QOL. Understanding daily experiences of caregivers of children with ASD may inform interventions and practices aimed at improving sleep and its associated outcomes to ultimately improve caregiver well-being.