Do child communicative abilities predict subjective wellbeing and satisfaction with family life in caregivers of minimally verbal children?

Purpose

Caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental conditions often experience poor mental wellbeing, which may be influenced by their child’s behavioural or communicative profile. Few studies have focussed exclusively on caregivers of minimally verbal (MV) children—a heterogeneous group who share limited access to spoken language but vary in communicative competence and primary diagnosis. In this population, caregiver wellbeing may be associated with a child’s ability to communicate their wants and needs via any modality.

Methods

We examined associations between child communicative competence and caregiver wellbeing in a transdiagnostic sample of school-age MV children (n = 193, mean age 7.6-years, 73% male) and their caregivers (91% mothers). General positive wellbeing was assessed using a brief, well-validated tool designed for the general population. A second measure—developed for parents of autistic children—captured caregiver-specific wellbeing and family life satisfaction. Child communicative competence combined caregiver-reported social communication challenges and early communication skills with observed measures of communicative intent and sophistication. Analyses controlled for demographic factors, non-social autism features, adaptive skills, and behavioural and health comorbidities, including ADHD and gastrointestinal challenges.

Results

Caregivers reported significantly lower wellbeing than population norms, with 23% meeting subclinical and 26% probable clinical depression thresholds. Child communicative competence did not predict general positive wellbeing, but did predict caregiver wellbeing and family life satisfaction.

Conclusion

Caregivers of MV children are at high risk of poor wellbeing. Our findings highlight the multifactorial determinants of caregiver wellbeing and underscore the need for targeted, family-centred interventions that strengthen child communication skills and enhances caregiver support.