Determinants of quality of life, mental health and suicidal ideation in mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders: a cross-sectional analytical study in Feira de Santana, Bahia

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: to analyze factors associated with quality of life (QoL), common mental disorder (CMD), depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, and to explore association patterns via quality of life. Methods: cross-sectional study with 153 mothers (117 atypical, 36 typical) in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil, 2025. WHOQOL-BREF (QoL), SRQ-20 (CMD and suicidal ideation - item 17) and PHQ-9 (depression) were applied. Poisson regression with Huber-White robust variance (aPR; 95%CI) was performed; for suicidal ideation, exploratory Poisson analysis was performed in the total sample. Mediated patterns were investigated by product-of-coefficients with bias-corrected bootstrap (BC, R=2,000 resamples). Results: atypical mothers showed poor QoL in 54.7% vs. 19.4% (p<0.001); CMD in 81.2% vs. 44.4% (p<0.001); depression in 65.8% vs. 36.1% (p=0.002); suicidal ideation in 23.9% vs. 2.8% (OR=11.01; p=0.005). Being an atypical mother (aPR=2.06) and obstetric complications (aPR=1.41) predicted poor QoL. Poor QoL was associated with CMD (aPR=1.66) and depression (aPR=2.63). In the total sample, prior mental disorder diagnosis (aPR=3.30) and poor QoL (aPR=4.29) predicted suicidal ideation. Conclusions: atypical mothers show higher mental distress across all outcomes. Poor QoL is associated with CMD and depression; suicidal ideation is strongly concentrated in the atypical group. Findings reinforce intersectoral support strategies for families of children with NDD.