Fatigue in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Parental and Child Factors for Mothers and Fathers
Abstract
This study examined child and parental factors associated with fatigue in parents of
children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) by using the Middle-Range Theory of
Unpleasant Symptoms (TOUS) model. The research was designed to 1) extend our
understanding of fatigue in parents of children with a diagnosis of ASDs by investigating
fatigue in both mothers and fathers, and 2) identify and examine the associations between
psychological, physiological, parental situational, and child-based situational factors.
Mothers (N = 78) and fathers (N = 34) of children with ASDs aged 2-12 years were
recruited from across Canada. Participants completed a confidential questionnaire battery
regarding their fatigue level, parenting self-efficacy, parenting satisfaction, sleep quality,
depressive and anxiety symptoms, social support, marital satisfaction, level of physical
activity, caregiving burdens, their child’s sleep quality, and their child’s behavioural
problems. Fathers reported lower levels of fatigue than mothers. Fatigue was associated
with psychological, physiological, and situational factors, including child-based
situational factors, although child-based situational factors were predictive of fatigue in
mothers but not fathers. Fatigue was negatively correlated with parenting self-efficacy
and parenting satisfaction in both mothers and fathers. This study improves our
understanding of a variety of factors that impact parental fatigue, allowing clinicians to
better support parents and provide avenues for the development of interventions to help
reduce parental fatigue. It also contributes to the existing literature by exploring how
maternal and paternal experiences of children with ASDs differ and how parental fatigue
is related to ASDs.