Quality of Service and Satisfaction among Caregivers of Pediatric Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the relationship between service quality and satisfaction among caregivers of pediatric patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study with a quantitative and correlational approach was conducted. The sample consisted of 102 caregivers of children diagnosed with ASD. Two instruments adapted to the study population were applied: the SERVPERF questionnaire to assess service quality based on perceived performance and the User Satisfaction Outpatient (USO) questionnaire to measure satisfaction in outpatient care. Data were analyzed using RStudio through descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

Results: A total of 93.1% of caregivers reported a high perception of service quality, while 6.9% reported a moderate perception. The highest-rated dimensions were tangibles (98%), safety (96.1%), empathy (93.1%), reliability (91.2%), and responsiveness (90.2%). Regarding satisfaction, 93.1% of participants reported a high level and 6.9% a moderate level, with no cases of overall dissatisfaction. A significant association (p < 0.05) was identified between service quality and satisfaction. The strongest correlations were observed with reliability, responsiveness and empathy, particularly in administrative care.

Conclusions: A significant relationship was found between service quality and caregiver satisfaction highlighting the importance of human and organizational factors in pediatric care.

Keywords: Patient Satisfaction; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Caregivers; Child.