The effect of altruism and life satisfaction of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder on their communication with their children

Having a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects parents' altruism and life satisfaction. Altruism refers to the tendency of individuals to sacrifice themselves and exhibit a willingness to help others, while family life satisfaction represents the individual's contentment with their life in relation to their family and overall quality of life. The altruism and life satisfaction of parents are important in their communication with their children. This study was conducted to determine the impact of the altruism and life satisfaction levels of parents with ASD children on their communication with their children. For this purpose, the "Family Demographic Information Form," "Altruism Scale," "Life Satisfaction Scale," and "Parent-Child Communication Scale" were administered to parents of children aged 0-11 years who had been diagnosed with ASD and agreed to participate in the study. A total of 301 individuals participated in the study; 167 of them were mothers and 134 were fathers. Descriptive analyses, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were applied to analyze the collected data. The study found that higher levels of altruism and life satisfaction in parents had a positive effect on better communication with their children. It was determined that parents with higher altruism and life satisfaction exhibited more positive and effective communication behaviors with their children. The analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between levels of altruism and life satisfaction and parent-child communication. Considering these results, it is recommended to increase educational programs and psychological support services that enhance altruism and life satisfaction for parents with ASD children. Such interventions are believed to improve the quality of communication between parents and their children and contribute to better developmental outcomes for children with ASD.