Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Major/Program
Public Health
First Advisor's Name
Dr. Elena Bastida
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee chair
Second Advisor's Name
Dr. Shanna L. Burke
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Co-committee chair
Third Advisor's Name
Dr. Melissa Howard
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Fourth Advisor's Name
Dr. Tan Li
Fourth Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Fifth Advisor's Name
Dr. Mariana Sanchez
Fifth Advisor's Committee Title
Committee member
Keywords
Mental health, parents, developmental disability, autism spectrum disorder, ABLE account, scales, interventions, financial planning
Date of Defense
5-28-2021
Abstract
Parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and other adverse mental health conditions. Despite extensive literature on parental mental health, this research addressed three gaps. First, a systematic review identified the interventions and respective scales used to address and assess stress and anxiety among parents of transition-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This was necessary given that the stressors parents experience vary with the age of the child. Of the 11 studies included in the final review, it was evident that most interventions and scales were not aligned with the unique needs and characteristics of this population.
Second, quantitative analysis of the 2017-2018 combined National Survey for Children’s Health explored the impact of the health care demands of a child with ASD on the mental health of parents. Health care demands included among others, the time, employment, and financial burden that parents experienced. Findings indicated that the mental health of mothers and fathers were associated with differing factors. For example, among mothers, unfavorable mental health was significantly associated with spending between one to ten hours coordinating care, while among fathers, unfavorable mental health was associated with frustration to obtain services for their child.
Third, using primary data collection, parents of children with IDD (n=176) were recruited to complete an online survey. The study examined parental experiences regarding financial planning and utilization of accounts given the high levels of financial distress these families experience. This study focused on the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program, and checking, savings, and trust accounts. Several programmatic and personal barriers were identified which hindered planning and utilization. Parents also reported that only 29.5% of their children with IDD had an ABLE account, while rates for checking, savings, and special needs trust accounts were also low at 26%, 35%, and 13.6%, respectively. Given the impact parental wellbeing has on the child’s trajectory, and vice versa, it is imperative to design scales, policies, interventions, and programs to address the mental health needs of this parent population.
Identifier
FIDC010181
ORCID
0000-0003-0728-2306
Recommended Citation
Agarwal, Rumi, "Measurement and Predictors of Mental Health among Parents of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities" (2021). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4805.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4805
Included in
Banking and Finance Law Commons, Disability Studies Commons, Maternal and Child Health Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons
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