Background: This study adapted Lazarus and Folkman's stress and coping theory in understanding how parents adjust to stress associated with caring for a child with a disability. The study aimed to: (1) assess the relationship between social support, sense of coherence, leisure-time satisfaction, and caregiving appraisals among parental caregivers; (2) examine the effects of caregiving appraisals on the relationship between caregiving demands and parental quality of life; (3) investigate the effects of leisure-time satisfaction and participation on the relationship between caregiving demands and parental quality of life.

Method: Parents caring for a co-residential child with a developmental disability (n = 559) were recruited to participate in an internet-based survey through organizations for people with disabilities.

Results: Multiple linear regressions were computed to achieve the first aim of this study, finding that a lower sense of coherence and less leisure satisfaction led to increased caregiver burden. In addition, mothers who cared for a younger child with an intellectual disability and reported a higher sense of coherence were more likely to have higher caregiver satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was then performed to achieve the second aim, finding that more incidences of maladaptive behaviors were associated with greater caregiving burden, lower caregiving satisfaction and, therefore, lower quality of life. Moreover, the child's functional ability only influenced parental quality of life through caregiving satisfaction and burden. Finally, using a structural equation modeling approach, it was found that leisure-time satisfaction and leisure participation acted as partial mediators, buffering the negative effect of perceived stress on parental quality of life. The study did not support the hypothesized moderation effect of leisure-time satisfaction and participation in the relationship between caregiving demands and quality of life.

Conclusions: Results suggested that social support, leisure satisfaction, and sense of coherence may influence positive and negative caregiving experiences in different ways and, therefore, interventions designed to support caregivers should be developed according to those differences. Additionally, as this study clearly supports the benefits of leisure participation in parental quality of life, it is important for recreation professionals to provide consultation for this population as a way of negotiating leisure constraints.