Investigating the mental health outcomes of caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia

Background: Understanding the mental health challenges faced by caregivers of children with intellectual disabilities is essential for the design of targeted interventions. Aim: To examine the challenges faced by caregivers of children with disabilities in Saudi Arabia and their coping strategies. Methods: Between January and April 2024, we interviewed 120 primary caregivers of children diagnosed with intellectual disabilities residing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and surrounding regions. We analysed the quantitative data using SPSS version 28 and qualitative data using NVivo. We performed correlation and regression analyses to examine the associations between resilience, social support and mental health outcomes. Results: There were significant correlations between higher resilience and lower depression, anxiety and stress (r = –0.61, P < 0.01 for resilience and stress; r = –0.54, P < 0.01 for resilience and depression), indicating strong associations. Perceived social support showed moderate negative correlations with mental health challenges (r = –0.48, P < 0.01 for social support and anxiety), suggesting that stronger support networks were associated with better psychological outcomes. Challenges faced by caregivers included emotional strain, financial difficulties and social stigma. The caregivers reported receiving support from families, peers and health workers, and built resilience through emotional coping, planning and problemsolving, and positive reframing and acceptance. Conclusion: The strong negative correlations between resilience and mental health outcomes indicate the need for targeted interventions among caregivers of children with disabilities in Saudia Arabia to enhance their resilience and help mitigate psychological distress.