“Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly recognised as a critical outcome measure for planning and support purposes in autism. Yet, there are surprisingly few measures specifically designed to understanding QoL
in young people on the spectrum- or their parents – one that is accessible and relates to their specific needs and characteristics. It is in this context that the Quality of Life in Autism (QoLA) scale was
developed with parent-report and self-report versions to ascertain the QoL in parents of children on the spectrum and individuals with autism, respectively.
Parents and family provide an exceptional support system for individuals on the spectrum and hence comprehensive assessment should include the determinants of the individual’s and the parental QoL with measures
in place to identify and manage parental stressors alongside efforts to address parental coping, efficacy and competency.
Similarly, for young people on the spectrum, exploring their QoL and wellbeing should form an integral part of their assessment and management plan as these are just as important as improving their social and communication, functional and adaptive skills. It is hoped that widespread use of measures such as QoLA will help to draw attention and focus on this very important determinant of course and outcome for individuals on the spectrum and their families.
The QoLA is currently being used by more than 35 teams across 20 different countries and I would like to welcome you, personally, to Swalcliffe Park’s QoLA Network. I look forward to hearing updates on your
work. With very best wishes from Australia.
