Quality of Life in a Saudi Arabian Sample of Parents and Caregivers of Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.
- 1Department of Special Education, College of Education, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
- 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
Background: Raising a child with a disability can affect multiple dimensions of caregiver quality of life (QoL), but caregiver experiences vary according to child, family, and service characteristics. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess QoL in a Saudi Arabian sample of parents and caregivers of children with disabilities using the Arabic Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI-Ar) and to examine factors associated with total MQLI score. Methods: In this exploratory cross-sectional study, 336 adult parents/caregivers were recruited through specialized disability centers and associated parent networks using non-probability convenience sampling. QoL was measured with the 10-item MQLI-Ar. Bivariate associations were examined using t-tests/ANOVA, and adjusted associations were evaluated using multivariable linear regression. For the multivariable model, disability status was represented by mutually exclusive diagnostic profiles. Results: Among 336 participants, 75.9% were mothers and 60.1% resided in the Makkah region. The mean total MQLI score was 7.08 (SD = 2.28). The primary model was significant (F(15,320) = 2.89, p < 0.001, R² = 0.119) (adjusted R² = 0.078), and diagnostic profile was associated with MQLI score overall (p = 0.004). Relative to the autism-only group, higher adjusted scores were observed for learning difficulties only (B = 1.22, p = 0.009) and other disability only (B = 0.78, p = 0.030); the remaining diagnostic-profile contrasts were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Overall QoL was moderate to high in this caregiver sample, but QoL differed across diagnostic profiles. These exploratory cross-sectional findings should be interpreted cautiously given the non-probability sample, geographic concentration, modest model explanatory power, and unmeasured clinical and caregiving factors.
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BibTeX
@article{alghamdi2026quality,
title = {{Quality of Life in a Saudi Arabian Sample of Parents and Caregivers of Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.}},
author = {Abdullah Ahmed Alghamdi and Majed Ahmed Algarni and Mohammad S Alzahrani},
journal = {Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/healthcare14203525},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940570},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Quality of Life in a Saudi Arabian Sample of Parents and Caregivers of Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.
AU - Abdullah Ahmed Alghamdi
AU - Majed Ahmed Algarni
AU - Mohammad S Alzahrani
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/healthcare14203525
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940570
AB - Background: Raising a child with a disability can affect multiple dimensions of caregiver quality of life (QoL), but caregiver experiences vary according to child, family, and service characteristics. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess QoL in a Saudi Arabian sample of parents and caregivers of children with disabilities using the Arabic Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI-Ar) and to examine factors associated with total MQLI score. Methods: In this exploratory cross-sectional study, 336 adult parents/caregivers were recruited through specialized disability centers and associated parent networks using non-probability convenience sampling. QoL was measured with the 10-item MQLI-Ar. Bivariate associations were examined using t-tests/ANOVA, and adjusted associations were evaluated using multivariable linear regression. For the multivariable model, disability status was represented by mutually exclusive diagnostic profiles. Results: Among 336 participants, 75.9% were mothers and 60.1% resided in the Makkah region. The mean total MQLI score was 7.08 (SD = 2.28). The primary model was significant (F(15,320) = 2.89, p < 0.001, R² = 0.119) (adjusted R² = 0.078), and diagnostic profile was associated with MQLI score overall (p = 0.004). Relative to the autism-only group, higher adjusted scores were observed for learning difficulties only (B = 1.22, p = 0.009) and other disability only (B = 0.78, p = 0.030); the remaining diagnostic-profile contrasts were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Overall QoL was moderate to high in this caregiver sample, but QoL differed across diagnostic profiles. These exploratory cross-sectional findings should be interpreted cautiously given the non-probability sample, geographic concentration, modest model explanatory power, and unmeasured clinical and caregiving factors.
SN - 2227-9032
ER -