Psychological distress and health

The current study’s aim was to measure anxiety, depression and quality of life in parents of children referred for developmental evaluation. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Short Form 36 Health Survey were used to assess anxiety, depression and quality of life, respectively. One hundred and thirty parents participated in the study, 95 with a child referred for evaluation and 35 with healthy children. Parents of developmentally impaired children reported increased anxiety (p=0.002) and depression (p<0.001) and worse social functioning (p=0.002) and mental health (p=0.017). Mothers of developmentally impaired children reported significantly increased anxiety symptoms (p=0.012) and bodily pain (p=0.046) and lower levels of vitality (p=0.009), social functioning (p=0.005) and mental health (p=0.008). More children in the family correlated with increased anxiety scores (p=0.021), while higher child age was associated with more anxiety symptoms (p=0.002), more role limitations due to emotional problems (p=0.003) and worse mental health (p=0.002). Parenting children with developmental difficulties is associated with significant psychological distress and disturbed quality of life