Bienestar emocional en cuidadores de niños de 5-10 años con TEA grado II en un centro neurológico de Quito, 2025

The emotional, mental, and physical burden of caring for children with Level II autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affected the emotional well-being of primary caregivers, which has social and clinical significance. Objective: To explore the impact on the quality of life of caregivers responsible for 5- to 10-year-old children with Level II Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) treated at a private neurodevelopmental center in the city of Quito during 2025. Methodology: A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was conducted; from an initial sample of 30 caregivers, the survey was administered to 50% (n = 15) by telephone and Google Forms, using the CarerQol-7D instrument; the analysis was performed through open coding, and the results were presented in graphs. Results: Female caregivers predominated (86.7%), with ages ranging from 30 to 35 years, and care was primarily provided to male children (86.7%) with an average age of 9 years. It was shown that individuals can feel satisfied with their role, as they experience an emotional bond, a sense of responsibility, and usefulness, but they also experience negative emotions such as stress, worry about the future, an excessive workload, and difficulties balancing their responsibilities. Additionally, they have little social support, which can lead to isolation. Conclusions: The caregiving experience reflected a sustained tension between strain and satisfaction, confirming an impairment of the caregiver’s emotional well-being and quality of life; these findings provided input for strengthening institutional family support and psychological assistance programs, as well as for guiding future national research on protective factors and support networks for caregivers.