Background and aims There is a paucity of literature investigating health-related quality of life in neurodevelopmental populations including children with developmental language disorders and children with autism spectrum disorder. Health-related quality of life in these two groups remains poorly understood. Furthermore, studies have typically relied on reports from caregivers and teachers rather than using self-report measures. The aim of the current study is to compare the levels and profiles of self-reported health-related quality of life of children with developmental language disorders and children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods Participants comprised 114 7-to-13-year-old children with developmental language disorders (n = 63) and children with autism spectrum disorder (n = 51) attending mainstream school. Self-reported health-related quality of life was measured using the KIDSCREEN-52. We also collected standardised measures of receptive language, autism spectrum disorder symptoms, nonverbal IQ and emotional and behavioural problems. Results Children with developmental language disorders reported health-related quality of life commensurate with normative ranges, except for 2 of the 10 dimensions; the Moods and Emotions domain and the Social acceptance/bullying domain, which were below norms. Children with autism spectrum disorder reported significantly lower health-related quality of life compared to norms and the developmental language disorders group. However, when the effects of non-verbal ability and language – on which the groups were not matched – were covaried most group differences fell to non-significance or disappeared. Child characteristics showed few associations with dimensions of health-related quality of life across groups. Conclusions Children with autism spectrum disorder may be particularly vulnerable to poorer health-related quality of life and the relevant professionals need to be aware of this. Children with developmental language disorders exhibit a profile of health-related quality of life more in-line with average ranges. However, certain domains warrant monitoring and may benefit from intervention. Many of the between-group differences in self-reported health-related quality of life disappeared when non-verbal and language ability were covaried, though neither of the covariates was systematically related to scores. Other within-child factors such as emotional understanding and competence should be explored in future studies. Implications Further research into child and contextual factors may elucidate risk or protective factors for health-related quality of life in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

中文翻译：

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自闭症谱系障碍儿童和发育性语言障碍儿童的健康相关生活质量

背景和目的缺乏文献研究神经发育人群（包括患有发育性语言障碍的儿童和患有自闭症谱系障碍的儿童）与健康相关的生活质量。这两个群体与健康相关的生活质量仍然知之甚少。此外，研究通常依靠看护者和老师的报告，而不是使用自我报告的方法。本研究的目的是比较发展性语言障碍儿童和自闭症谱系障碍儿童自我报告的健康相关生活质量的水平和概况。方法参加者包括114名7至13岁的发展性语言障碍儿童（n = 63）和自闭症谱系障碍儿童（n = 51）在主流学校就读。使用KIDSCREEN-52测量自我报告的健康相关生活质量。我们还收集了接受语言，自闭症谱系障碍症状，非语言智商以及情绪和行为问题的标准化措施。结果发育性语言障碍儿童报告了与健康相关的生活质量，与正常范围相称，但十个维度中有两个除外；低于规范的“情绪和情感”领域以及“社会接受/欺凌”领域。自闭症谱系障碍儿童的健康相关生活质量明显低于规范和发育性语言障碍组。但是，当非语言能力和语言的效果（各组不匹配）共同变化时，大多数组差异就会变得无意义或消失。儿童特征与各组健康相关生活质量的维度之间几乎没有关联。结论自闭症谱系障碍儿童可能特别容易受到与健康相关的较差生活质量的影响，相关专业人士需要意识到这一点。患有发育性语言障碍的儿童表现出与健康相关的生活质量，与平均水平呈线性关系。但是，某些域需要监视，并且可能会从干预中受益。当非语言和语言能力被协变量时，自我报告的与健康相关的生活质量的许多组间差异消失了，尽管协变量都没有系统地与分数相关。未来的研究应探讨其他儿童内因素，例如情感理解和能力。