A J O Whitehouse1, P Jacoby1, D Reddihough2,3,4, H Leonard1, K Williams5, Jenny Downs6,7. 1. Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia. 2. Neurodisability and Rehabilitation, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 3. Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 4. Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 5. Paediatric Education and Research, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 6. Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia. Jenny.Downs@telethonkids.org.au. 7. School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Jenny.Downs@telethonkids.org.au.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The measurement of quality of life (QOL) in children with intellectual disability often relies upon proxy report via caregivers. The current study investigated whether caregiver psychological distress mediates or moderates the effects of impairment on their ratings of QOL in children with intellectual disability. METHODS: Caregivers of 447 children with an intellectual disability reported their child's day-to-day functioning, their own psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and the Quality of Life Inventory-Disability (QI-Disability), a measure of QOL for proxy report of a child's observable behaviours that indicate quality of life. Linear regression was used to assess the effects of the child's functional abilities on their QI-Disability score and causal mediation analysis to estimate the extent to which these effects were mediated by caregivers' psychological distress. RESULTS: A minority of caregivers (n = 121, 27.1%) reported no psychological distress. Lower day-to-day functional abilities, such as being fully dependent on others to manage their personal needs were associated with lower total QOL scores. There was no significant mediation effect of caregiver psychological distress on the association between child functioning and total QOL scores. Moderation analyses revealed small and largely nonsignificant interaction coefficients, indicating that caregiver psychological distress did not influence the strength of the relationship between child functioning and total QOL scores. CONCLUSION: Caregiver psychological distress did not mediate or moderate the relationship between the level of functional abilities and QOL in children with intellectual disability. QI-Disability measured observable child behaviours which may reduce the influence of caregiver factors on the accurate measure of QOL for children with intellectual disability.
PURPOSE: The measurement of quality of life (QOL) in children with intellectual disability often relies upon proxy report via caregivers. The current study investigated whether caregiver psychological distress mediates or moderates the effects of impairment on their ratings of QOL in children with intellectual disability. METHODS: Caregivers of 447 children with an intellectual disability reported their child's day-to-day functioning, their own psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and the Quality of Life Inventory-Disability (QI-Disability), a measure of QOL for proxy report of a child's observable behaviours that indicate quality of life. Linear regression was used to assess the effects of the child's functional abilities on their QI-Disability score and causal mediation analysis to estimate the extent to which these effects were mediated by caregivers' psychological distress. RESULTS: A minority of caregivers (n = 121, 27.1%) reported no psychological distress. Lower day-to-day functional abilities, such as being fully dependent on others to manage their personal needs were associated with lower total QOL scores. There was no significant mediation effect of caregiver psychological distress on the association between child functioning and total QOL scores. Moderation analyses revealed small and largely nonsignificant interaction coefficients, indicating that caregiver psychological distress did not influence the strength of the relationship between child functioning and total QOL scores. CONCLUSION: Caregiver psychological distress did not mediate or moderate the relationship between the level of functional abilities and QOL in children with intellectual disability. QI-Disability measured observable child behaviours which may reduce the influence of caregiver factors on the accurate measure of QOL for children with intellectual disability.
Entities:
Keywords:
Caregiver mental health; Functional impairment; Intellectual disability; Proxy report; Quality of life
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