Spiritual Intelligence and Well-Being of Caregivers of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Caregiving is an act of supporting another person by providing the required help in the event of dependency due to some illness or disorder. Caregiving for neurodevelopmental disorders is complex and goes on for very long periods, in most cases, throughout the lifetime of the caregiver.  Increased risk for physical and mental health issues in caregivers can be directly correlated to caregiving duties, though the genetic factors of the caregivers contribute to some extent. While understanding the overall effect of caregiver stressors, it is equally important to pay attention to those positive aspects of caregivers’ personalities and resources that mediate this health risk and elevate well-being. Spiritual intelligence is one such construct which equips a person with the ability to adapt and draw a meaningful relationship with the environment. The association of spiritual intelligence and well-being among the caregivers of neurodevelopmental disorders, irrespective of religious beliefs, has to be understood. There is a need to study how spiritual intelligence affects the mental health of caregivers of neurodevelopmental disorders and how to incorporate activities to promote spiritual intelligence in caregivers’ training and healthcare.