This study sought to examine and compare conceptualizations and descriptions of family quality of life, from the perspectives of Korean immigrant and Canadian families of children with autism spectrum disorder. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews from 13 Korean immigrant parents and 12 Canadian parents of children with autism living in BC, Canada was conducted. For Korean immigrant families, three themes were identified: family cohesiveness, value orientation, and acceptance from society. For Canadian families, themes comprising family interactions, support, emotional well-being, individual characteristics, and comparisons to other families were essential elements in defining their family quality of life. Findings highlight how cultural values and differences may translate into different conceptualizations of family quality of life and underscore the need for cross-cultural and diverse perspectives in the study and development of future assessment tools.

Lay abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare Korean immigrant families and Canadian families of children with autism in their perceptions and definitions of family quality of life. Interviews were done with 13 Korean immigrant parents and 12 Canadian parents of children with autism living in BC, Canada. For Korean immigrant families, three themes were identified: family cohesiveness, value orientation, and acceptance from society. For Canadian families, themes comprising family interactions, support, emotional well-being, individual characteristics, and comparisons to other families were essential elements in defining their family quality of life. The findings emphasize how differences in culture may impact how we understand and assess family functioning and quality of life. If research informing the development of these tools lacks cross-cultural perspectives, service providers and professionals may fail to address these families’ unique needs.

中文翻译：

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家庭生活质量意义的跨文化视角：韩国移民家庭与加拿大自闭症谱系障碍儿童家庭的比较

本研究试图从韩国移民和加拿大自闭症谱系障碍儿童家庭的角度，检查和比较家庭生活质量的概念和描述。对居住在加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省的 13 名韩国移民父母和 12 名加拿大自闭症儿童父母的半结构化访谈进行了专题分析。对于韩国移民家庭，确定了三个主题：家庭凝聚力、价值取向和社会接受度。对于加拿大家庭而言，包括家庭互动、支持、情感健康、个人特征以及与其他家庭的比较在内的主题是定义家庭生活质量的基本要素。

摘要

本研究的目的是比较韩国移民家庭和加拿大自闭症儿童家庭对家庭生活质量的看法和定义。采访了居住在加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省的 13 名韩国移民父母和 12 名患有自闭症儿童的加拿大父母。对于韩国移民家庭，确定了三个主题：家庭凝聚力、价值取向和社会接受度。对于加拿大家庭而言，包括家庭互动、支持、情感健康、个人特征以及与其他家庭的比较在内的主题是定义家庭生活质量的基本要素。研究结果强调了文化差异如何影响我们理解和评估家庭功能和生活质量的方式。