Abstract:
The purpose of this research was to study health status of autistic children who received a service at special education center (region 5), Suphanburi province. The knowledge and stress level of caregivers of autistic children was also evaluated. The method used in this work is mixed method research to elicit and analysis data quantitative research.
For quantitative research, the data was collected using the Stress Test-20 obtained from Mental Health Department, Ministry of Public Health. The data collection obtained form 30 samples was based on personal questionnaire, stress evaluation form, evaluation form of autistic disorder knowledge and Gordon,s functional health pattern. The data evaluation was performed using frequency, percentage, average mean and standard deviation. For qualitative research, the intensive interview obtained from 15 samples was used and assessed by the content analysis.
The results of this study were as follows;
1. The average of stress levels of autism children caregivers was found 10.0%, 50.0% and 40.0% for severe, high and moderate stresses, respectively.
2. The average of knowledge level of autism children caregivers was very good (about 73.3%) and good (26.7%).
3. The health status of the most autism children was physical healthy. The autism children were able to do activity partially with helping persons, but their toleration was very low. Caregivers punished them by hit in order to control their behaviors.
4. The experience stress themes of autism children caregivers was discovered 5 themes, including, sense of autism children care, stress, stress symptom, stress impact and reducing stress method.