Typically Developing Children and Their Impact on Parental Caregivers’ Quality of Life: Literature Review

Abstract

Several studies have addressed the demands placed on caregivers and how these demands increase stress and impact the caregiver’s quality of life. In order to assess influential factors of quality of life through scholarly research, additional factors can be further explored and narrowed to pinpoint the specifics through which quality of life is affected. Because of individual differences, it would be virtually impossible to identify each and every contingency affecting one’s well-being. However, by scrutinizing factors that are known, the quest to assess the when and for whom is a legitimate and logical next step in this endeavor. Databases used in this search included ProQuest, EbscoHost, Medline, Mental Measurements Yearbooks, and additional websites and books relevant to caregiver stress, perception of parenthood, and quality of life. Keywords used in the search included caregiver stress, parental caregiver stress, quality of life, caregiver quality of life, perception, perception of parenthood, life satisfaction, and parenting. To illustrate what is currently known, the following areas were critically reviewed: stress, caregiver stress, the role of other family members, income and utilization of community resources, perception of parenthood, and quality of life.