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Originalarbeiten/Original articles

Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Published Online:March 25, 2011https://doi.org/10.1024/1422-4917/a000098

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluates self- and proxy-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study also compares HRQOL in ASD patients with a healthy control sample and a psychiatric reference sample. Method: 42 children and adolescents (39 male, mean age: 12.7 ± 2.6 years, mean IQ: 100.5 ± 20.7) with the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents completed the Inventory for the Assessment of Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents (ILK). Results: Mean ILK LQ 0–28 scores were 20.6 (± 4.6) (self-report version) and 18.2 (± 4.0) (proxy version). Compared to a reference sample, mean ILK scores from the ASD sample were at the 47th percentile (self-report) and the 33rd percentile (proxy). Compared to children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders, self-reported ILK scores correlated with the 69th percentile, and proxy-reported ILK scores correlated with the 67th percentile. Self-reported HRQOL was significantly higher than proxy-reported HRQOL. No significant correlation was found between HRQOL and age, IQ, or autistic symptoms. Conclusions: HRQOL in children and adolescents with ASD seems to be better than in other psychiatric disorders, but lower than in healthy controls.


Gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Autismus-Spektrum-Störung

Fragestellung: Ziel der Studie war die Untersuchung der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualität (gbLQ) von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Autismus-Spektrum-Störung (ASD), wobei die gbLQ sowohl durch die Kinder als auch durch die Eltern eingeschätzt wurde. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit denen einer gesunden und einer psychiatrischen Referenzstichprobe verglichen. Methodik: 42 Kinder und Jugendliche (39 männlich, durchschnittliches Alter 12.7 ± 2.6 Jahre, durchschnittlicher IQ: 100.5 ± 20.7) mit der Diagnose einer Autismus-Spektrum-Störung (ASD) und deren Eltern füllten das Inventar zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität (ILK) aus. Ergebnisse: Im Durchschnitt lagen die Werte (ILK LQ 0–28-Skala) bei 20.6 (± 4.6) (Selbstbeurteilung) bzw. bei 18.2 (± 4.0) (Fremdbeurteilung). Verglichen mit einer Stichprobe gesunder Kinder lag der ILK-Wert der ASD-Gruppe auf der 47. Perzentile (Selbstbeurteilung) und der 33. Perzentile (Fremdbeurteilung). Verglichen mit der Referenzstichprobe der Kinder und Jugendlichen mit psychiatrischen Störungen lag der ILK-Wert auf der 69. Perzentile (Selbsteinschätzung) bzw. auf der 67. Perzentile (Fremdeinschätzung). Die Kinder und Jugendlichen schätzten ihre gbLQ signifikant höher ein als die Eltern. Es zeigte sich keine signifikante Korrelation zwischen gbLQ und Alter, IQ oder der autistischen Symptomatik. Schlussfolgerungen: Die gbLQ von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit ASD scheint besser zu sein als die von Patienten mit anderen psychiatrischen Störungsbildern, aber schlechter als die einer gesunden Stichprobe.

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