Psychosocial and Behavioral Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and Adolescents with Autism and Their Families: Overview of the Literature and Initial Data from a Multinational Online Survey

Impact of adverse childhood experiences and family resilience on sleep duration in autistic children

LAY ABSTRACT

Autistic children are more likely to have sleep difficulties and to experience adverse childhood experiences. Adverse childhood experiences can include parental divorce, bullying, or witnessing violence. We also know that children in families who are resilient (e.g. families who are connected, work together, and help each other) are less impacted by adverse childhood experiences. Our study examined whether there was a relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sleep duration in autistic children. We also wanted to find out whether family resilience protects from the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences on sleep duration. We used data from 3247 parent surveys about their children that we got from the National Survey of Children's Health. We found that children with adverse childhood experiences are more likely to get less sleep. We also found that children with resilient families were more likely to get more sleep. Our results show that family resilience helps weaken the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sleep, so it is important to help families build resilience.

Impact of COVID-19 on Mothers Raising Children with Special Needs: Insights from a Survey Study

Home confinement during the COVID-19 outbreak had psychological effects that continue to be explored by researchers. This study investigated factors influencing the mental health of mothers caring for special needs children in Italy's first lockdown. Specifically, we investigated the relationships between emotional states of depression, anxiety, stress, perceived distress related to home confinement, coping strategies, and other contextual variables (such as opportunities for distance learning and remote working) in a group of 68 mothers of children with special needs and 68 matched mothers of typically developing children. Data from an online survey showed no significant difference between the two groups. However, the research revealed that being a remote worker was a significant predictor of reduced stress in mothers of children with special needs, while distance learning was a significant predictor of reduced stress in mothers of typically developing children. In addition, the study found that hyperarousal symptoms were predictive of stress in mothers of children with special needs, while intrusive thoughts and avoidance coping were predictive of stress in mothers of typically developing children. In conclusion, further research is needed to develop effective support and intervention strategies for families with children with special needs and to deeply investigate the impact of flexible work arrangements and social aid on the mental health of mothers in non-emergency settings.

Views and experiences of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have a variety of effects on people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study was to look into the perspectives and experiences of people with ASD and their mothers regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The current study employs a qualitative research approach. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The study included the participation of 16 individuals. Eight of them had ASD, while the remainder were their mothers. Results: The information was divided into two categories: people with ASD and their mothers. The data collected from individuals with ASD were organized into four major themes: (a) the meaning of COVID-19 for them; (b) pandemic activities; (c) measures taken during the pandemic; and (d) pandemic reflection on the school. The data drawn from the mothers of the individuals with ASD were categorized into two themes: (a) the impact of the pandemic and (b) changes in children with ASD during the pandemic. Conclusions: The study results show that individuals with ASD could not perform as many activities during the pandemic as they would usually do. Hence, the results suggested that the participants were adversely affected by the pandemic.

Mental health impact of COVID-19 on Saudi families and children with special educational needs and disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A national perspective

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a multidimensional impact on mental health due to health concerns, social distancing and lockdowns, job loss, and limits in institutional support. Accordingly, COVID-19 may disproportionally impact families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) due to the already high prevalence of mental health conditions in children with SEND and their parents. Hence, it is essential to determine the short-term impact of the pandemic on the mental health of families with SEND to identify their ongoing health, including psychological wellbeing and support needs. The current study examines the anxiety level and concerns of children with SEND and their parents living in Saudi Arabia.

Methodology

A cross-sectional national study design was utilized as a part of an international consortium using an online Arabic survey. Data were collected from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development beneficiaries from May to July 2020. The sample consisted of 1,848 parents of children with SEND aged between 1 and 18 years (mean = 9.66; SD = 4.31). A descriptive and bivariant analysis is reported.

Results

Parental worries on all those concerns when the pandemic started were significantly higher than before the pandemic, p < 0.050. Parental-perceived general anxiety had risen significantly across time, p < 0.001, and their perceived anxiety when the pandemic started exceeded their anxiety before the pandemic, p < 0.001. The general anxiety of children with SEND had risen significantly across time (from before the pandemic to when it had started to during the pandemic), p < 0.001. The children's general worries at the start of the pandemic had correlated significantly and positively with their anxiety, adaptive, maladaptive, and coping efficacies, and parental anxiety scores, p < 0.010 each.

Conclusion

Anxiety levels were high in SEND and their caregivers before and during COVID-19. At the start of the pandemic, the anxiety, adaptive, maladaptive, coping efficacies, and parental anxiety scores of children with SEND were significantly and favorably correlated. These findings support the notion of SEND-specific anxiety and patterns of coping in SEND and their caregivers. The notion also attests to the institutional support required for this specifically vulnerable population during epidemics.

Psychosocial Functioning and the Educational Experiences of Students with ASD during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland

Due to their individual developmental and learning needs, adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from a variety of educational, medical, and therapeutic services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these services were discontinued or significantly reduced, which may have resulted in increased difficulties in coping with various areas of life. The purpose of this study was to explore how the pandemic affected the psychosocial and educational functioning of students with ASD. A qualitative, problem-focused interview method was used. The obtained material was subjected to interpretive phenomenological analysis. The study involved 10 secondary school students diagnosed with ASD. The assessment of the effects of the pandemic on the functioning of people with ASD is inconclusive. The respondents noted both negative and positive effects of lockdown. On the positive side, they were able to spend time with their family, isolate themselves from difficult social relationships and feel better. Among the negative effects, adolescents point to difficulties in emotional functioning—increased levels of stress and anxiety, as well as increased feelings of loneliness and difficulties with online education. The study showed the varied experiences of young people with autism during the pandemic, highlighting the significant need to support some of them in terms of their emotional, social and educational functioning.