An Assessment on Daily Work-Life Balance Among Parents with Autistic Children
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Parents of children with Autism frequently balance intensive caregiving responsibilities with employment and family commitments. These demands may affect their physical, psychological, and social well-being, leading to difficulties in maintaining a healthy work–life balance. Although the impact of ASD on caregivers has been widely recognized, evidence regarding the day-to-day work–life balance of parents remains fragmented and influenced by individual, occupational and healthcare-related factors. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perceived barriers regarding daily work–life balance among parents of children with ASD. The evidence synthesized in this study can serve as a foundation for future research and guide the implementation of policies and support programs aimed at reducing caregiver burden and improving family functioning among parents. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among parents of children with Autism at NIMS Spectrum Child Development and Research Centre, Trivandrum, from April to May 2026. A total of 57 parents were recruited using convenience sampling. Of these, 53 parents completed the questionnaire and were included in the final analysis . Data were collected using a validated self-structured questionnaire comprising sections on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and perceived barriers. Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi version 2.7.18. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used, with a p-value of <0.05 considered statistically significant. Result: Among the 53 participants, the majority were female (98.1%), and over half belonged to the 25–29 years age group (52.8%). Good knowledge regarding ASD was observed in 79.2% of participants, while 83.0% demonstrated a positive attitude towards balancing employment and caregiving responsibilities. More than half of the participants (54.7%) experienced severe barriers to maintaining work–life balance, with financial difficulties, long working hours, therapy or hospital visits, and limited workplace or family support identified as the major challenges. Correlation analysis showed no significant association between knowledge and attitude scores (r = −0.092, p = 0.511) or between knowledge and barrier scores (r = 0.117, p = 0.406). However, a significant positive correlation was observed between attitude and barrier scores (r = 0.355, p = 0.009). Conclusion: Parents of children with Autism demonstrated good knowledge and a positive attitude towards balancing caregiving and employment responsibilities. Despite this, many experienced moderate to severe barriers that negatively affected their daily work–life balance. These findings highlight the need for workplace flexibility, financial assistance, and strengthened family and social support to improve the well-being of parents caring for children with ASD. Future multicentre studies with larger and more gender-balanced samples are recommended to obtain a broader understanding of parental work–life balance and its determinants.
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7215063933