Abstract
The aim of this study was to carry out a preliminary examination of a research instrument developed specifically to collect cost information for individuals with autistic spectrum disorder. There is very little cost information on children or adults with autism or autism-related disorder, and no study appears to have carried out a specific cost collection in this area. Although some global cost estimates can be made, little is known about the cost implications of parental burden. By using different techniques to collect indirect costs, the study outlines a functional methodology. Results from this small pilot study point to considerable economic burden for parents and give some indication of the associated costs of autistic spectrum disorder.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Beecham, J. K., & Knapp, M. R. J. (1992). Costing psychiatric interventions. In Thornicroft, G., Brewin, C., & Wing, J. K. (eds) Measuring Mental Health Needs (pp. 203–227). Gaskell: London.
Beecham, J. K., O'Neill, T., & Goodman, R. (2001). Supporting young adults with hemiplegia: Services and costs. Health and Social Care in the Community, 9(1), 51–59.
Beecham, J. K., & Knapp, M. R. J. (2001). Costing psychiatric interventions. In Thornicroft, G. (ed.), Measuring Mental Health Needs, second edition (pp. 200–224). Gaskell: London.
Birenbaum, A., & Cohen, H. J. (1993). On the importance of helping families: Policy implications from a national study. Mental Retardation, volume 31, 76–74.
Bruijnzeels, M. A., Foets, M., van der Wouden, J. C., Prins, A., & van der Heuvel, W. J. A. (1998). Measuring morbidity of children in the community: A comparison of interview and diary data. International Journal of Epidemiology, 27, 96–100.
Dobson, B., & Middleton, S. (1998). Paying to care: The cost of childhood disability. Report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. York: York Publishing Services Ltd.
Fujiura, G. T., Roccoforte, J. A., & Braddock, D. (1994). Costs of family care for adults with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 99, 250–261.
Gold, M. R., Siegel, J. E., Russell, L. B., & Weinstein, M. C., eds. (1996). Cost-effectiveness in health and medicine, Oxford University Press, New York.
Howlin, P. (1998). Practitioner review: Psychological and educational treatments for autism. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 39, 307–322.
Jacobson, J. W., Mulick, J. A., & Green, G. (1998). Cost benefit estimates for early intensive behavioural intervention for young children with autism—general model and single state case. Behavioural Interventions, 13, 201–226.
Järbrink, K., & Knapp, M. (2001). The economic impact of autism in Britain. Autism, 5, 7–22.
Knapp, M. R. J., Chisholm, D., Leese, M., Amaddeo, F., Schene, A., Thornicroft, G., Vasquez-Barquero, J. L., Knudson, H. C., Becker, T., and and the EPSILON study group. (2002). Comparing patterns and costs of schizophrenia care in five European countries: The EPSILON study, Acta Psychiatrica, 105, 42–54.
McDaid, D., (2001). Estimating the costs of informal care for people with Alzheimer's Disease: Methodological and practical challenges. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16, 400–405.
Magliano, L., Fadden, G., Madianos, M., Caldas de Almeida, J. M., Held, T., Guarneri, M., Marasco, C., Tosini, P., & Maj, M. (1998). Burden on the families of patients with schizophrenia, Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 33, 405–12.
Marcus, L. M., Rubin, J. S., & Rubin, M. A. (2000). Benefit-cost analysis and autism services: A response to Jacobson and Mulic. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 595–598.
Netten, A., & Dennett, J. (1999). The Unit Costs of Health and Social Care. Canterbury: Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent at Canterbury.
Silberstein, A. R., & Scott, S. (1991). Expenditure diary surveys and their associated errors. In P. P. Biemer, R. M. Groves, L. Lyberg, N. A. Mathiowetz & S. Sudman (Eds.), Measurement Errors in Surveys. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Järbrink, K., Fombonne, E. & Knapp, M. Measuring the Parental, Service and Cost Impacts of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study. J Autism Dev Disord 33, 395–402 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025058711465
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025058711465