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Parlatini V, Frangou L, Zhang S, Epstein S, Morris A, Grant C, Zalewski L, Jewell A, Velupillai S, Simonoff E, Downs J. Emotional and behavioral outcomes among youths with mental disorders during the first Covid lockdown and school closures in England: a large clinical population study using health care record integrated surveys. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2024; 59:175-186. [PMID: 37353579 PMCID: PMC10799796 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-023-02517-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Emotional and behavioral problems in children and young people (CYP) have increased over the pandemic. Those with pre-existing mental disorders are more vulnerable but have been understudied. We investigated emotional and behavioral outcomes in this population; differences across diagnostic groups; and social, educational, and clinical determinants. METHODS We invited 5386 caregivers and CYP (aged 5-17) under child mental health services pre-pandemic to complete an online survey on CYP's emotional/behavioral symptoms and pandemic-related circumstances, and integrated responses with clinicodemographic information extracted from electronic health records. We compared four parent-rated outcomes (total emotional/behavioral scores and emotional/behavioral changes as compared to before the pandemic) across the three most common diagnostic groups in our population (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and emotional disorders (EmD)). We then estimated the association of clinicodemographic and pandemic-related characteristics with emotional/behavioral outcomes. RESULTS A total of 1741 parents (32.3%) completed the survey. Parents of CYP with ADHD or ASD reported more behavioral difficulties (t(591) = 5.618 (0.001); t(663) = 6.527 (0.001)); greater emotional deterioration (t(591) = 2.592 (0.009); t(664) = 4.670 (< 0.001); and greater behavioral deterioration (t(594) = 4.529 (< 0.001); t(664) = 5.082 (< 0.001)) as compared to the EmD group. Those with ASD and EmD showed more emotional difficulties than ADHD (t(891) = - 4.431 (< 0.001); t(590) = - 3.254 (0.001)). Across diagnoses, poor parental mental health and challenges with education were most strongly associated with worse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Within our clinical population, CYP with ADHD/ASD were the most adversely affected during lockdown. Enhancing clinical service provision that tackles parental stress and supports education may help mitigate the impact of future restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Parlatini
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - L Frangou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - S Zhang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - S Epstein
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - A Morris
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - C Grant
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - L Zalewski
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - A Jewell
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - S Velupillai
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - E Simonoff
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - J Downs
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Gu X, Shan X, Wang L, Gao WY, Liu XQ. Prevalence of psychological problems among caregivers of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: A meta-analysis and systematic review. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 143:104632. [PMID: 37976983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic impacted children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, which caused difficulties and increased caregivers' burden. AIM The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of psychological problems among caregivers of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods and procedures We searched the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases for relevant studies published from December 2019 to March 2023. Random effects models were used to calculate the pooled prevalence of psychological problems among caregivers. Subgroup analyses were used to detect potential heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the included studies. Egger's and Begg's tests were used to examine publication bias. Outcomes and results Twenty studies involving 14,743 participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The main psychological problems among caregivers were anxiety (36.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 19.6-53.7%), depression (41.1%, 95%CI 35.4-46.8%), and stress (58.9%, 95%CI 45.1-72.7%). There were differences in prevalence by study year, national economic level, continent, and sample size. Conclusions and implications Our study showed that caregivers of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders had a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the psychological problems of these caregivers should not be overlooked. We recommend that the government should provide caregivers with more medical and financial assistance. What this paper adds? The current study is the first systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on parents whose children have neurodevelopmental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that the prevalence of psychological problems among caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders is particularly prevalent, which suggests that we should attach importance to the parenting pressure and mental health of this special group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Gu
- Medical School of Nantong University, No. 19, Qi Xiu Street, Nantong 226007, China
| | - Xiao Shan
- Medical School of Nantong University, No. 19, Qi Xiu Street, Nantong 226007, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Medical School of Nantong University, No. 19, Qi Xiu Street, Nantong 226007, China
| | - Wen-Ying Gao
- Medical School of Nantong University, No. 19, Qi Xiu Street, Nantong 226007, China
| | - Xiao-Qin Liu
- Nursing Department of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, No. 20, Xi Si Street, Nantong 226006, China.
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Sideropoulos V, Van Herwegen J, Meuleman B, Alessandri M, Alnemary FM, Rad JA, Lavenex PAB, Bolshakov N, Bölte S, Buffle P, Cai RY, Campos R, Chirita-Emandi A, Costa AP, Costanzo F, Des Portes V, Dukes D, Faivre L, Famelart N, Fisher MH, Gamaiunova L, Giannadou A, Gupta R, Hardan AY, Houdayer-Robert F, Hrncirova L, Iaochite RT, Jariabkova K, Klein-Tasman BP, Lavenex P, Malik S, Mari F, Martinez-Castilla P, Menghini D, Nuske HJ, Palikara O, Papon A, Pegg RS, Pouretemad H, Poustka L, Prosetzky I, Renieri A, Rhodes SM, Riby DM, Rossi M, Sadeghi S, Su X, Tai C, Tran M, Tynan F, Uljarević M, Van Hecke AV, Veiga G, Verloes A, Vicari S, Werneck-Rohrer SG, Zander E, Samson AC. Anxiety, concerns and COVID-19: Cross-country perspectives from families and individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. J Glob Health 2023; 13:04081. [PMID: 37497751 PMCID: PMC10373111 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.04081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the mental health and well-being of children with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) and of their families worldwide. However, there is insufficient evidence to understand how different factors (e.g., individual, family, country, children) have impacted on anxiety levels of families and their children with NDCs developed over time. Methods We used data from a global survey assessing the experience of 8043 families and their children with NDCs (mean of age (m) = 13.18 years, 37% female) and their typically developing siblings (m = 12.9 years, 45% female) in combination with data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the University of Oxford, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook, to create a multilevel data set. Using stepwise multilevel modelling, we generated child-, family- and country-related factors that may have contributed to the anxiety levels of children with NDCs, their siblings if they had any, and their parents. All data were reported by parents. Results Our results suggest that parental anxiety was best explained by family-related factors such as concerns about COVID-19 and illness. Children's anxiety was best explained by child-related factors such as children's concerns about loss of routine, family conflict, and safety in general, as well as concerns about COVID-19. In addition, anxiety levels were linked to the presence of pre-existing anxiety conditions for both children with NDCs and their parents. Conclusions The present study shows that across the globe there was a raise in anxiety levels for both parents and their children with NDCs because of COVID-19 and that country-level factors had little or no impact on explaining differences in this increase, once family and child factors were considered. Our findings also highlight that certain groups of children with NDCs were at higher risk for anxiety than others and had specific concerns. Together, these results show that anxiety of families and their children with NDCs during the COVID-19 pandemic were predicted by very specific concerns and worries which inform the development of future toolkits and policy. Future studies should investigate how country factors can play a protective role during future crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassilis Sideropoulos
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, London, UK
| | - Jo Van Herwegen
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, London, UK
| | - Ben Meuleman
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michael Alessandri
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | | | - Jamal Amani Rad
- Department of Cognitive Modeling, Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paulina Buffle
- Laboratory of Sensori-Motor Affective and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ru Y Cai
- Aspect Research Centre for Autism Practice, Autism Spectrum Australia, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ruth Campos
- Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adela Chirita-Emandi
- Department of Microscopic Morphology - Genetics, Center of Genomic Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes" Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Andreia P Costa
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Floriana Costanzo
- Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincent Des Portes
- National Reference Center for Intellectual Disabilities of Rare causes, Lyon University Hospital, France
| | - Daniel Dukes
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Laurence Faivre
- Centre de Génétique et Centre de Référence Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs, FHU TRANSLAD, INSERM UMR1231, Hôpital d'Enfants, CHU Dijon, Dijon Cedex, France
| | | | - Marisa H Fisher
- Department of Counselling, Educational Psychology, & Special Education, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Liudmilla Gamaiunova
- Institute for Social Sciences of Religions, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Rashmi Gupta
- Cognitive and Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Powai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Antonio Y Hardan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Lenka Hrncirova
- Department of Special and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Katarina Jariabkova
- Institute for Research in Social Communication, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - Pierre Lavenex
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Development, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Pastora Martinez-Castilla
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Deny Menghini
- Child and Adolescents Neuropsychiatry Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Heather J Nuske
- Penn Center for Mental Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Olympia Palikara
- Department of Education Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Warwick, Warwick, UK
| | - Anouk Papon
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
| | - Robin S Pegg
- Williams Syndrome Association, Troy, Michigan, USA
| | - Hamidreza Pouretemad
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ingolf Prosetzky
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Zittau / Görlitz, Görlitz, Germany
| | | | - Sinead M Rhodes
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Deborah M Riby
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neurodiversity & Development, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Massimiliano Rossi
- Service de génétique HCL, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, CRNL, GENDEV Team, UCBL1, Bron, France
| | - Saeid Sadeghi
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Xueyen Su
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Claire Tai
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michel Tran
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
| | - Fionnuala Tynan
- Faculty of Education, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Mirko Uljarević
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Amy V Van Hecke
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Guida Veiga
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Departamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Alain Verloes
- Department of Genetics, APHP.NUP Robert DEBRE University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sonja G Werneck-Rohrer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eric Zander
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrea C Samson
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
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4
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Totsika V, Kouroupa A, Timmerman A, Allard A, Gray KM, Hastings RP, Heyne D, Melvin GA, Tonge B. School Attendance Problems Among Children with Neurodevelopmental Conditions One year Following the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-023-06025-3. [PMID: 37480438 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06025-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study investigated school absence among 1,076 5-15 year-old children with neurodevelopmental conditions (intellectual disability and/or autism) approximately one year following the start of COVID-19 in the UK. METHODS Parents completed an online survey indicating whether their child was absent from school during May 2021 and the reason for each absence. Multi-variable regression models investigated child, family and school variables associated with absenteeism and types of absenteeism. Qualitative data were collected on barriers and facilitators of school attendance. RESULTS During May 2021, 32% of children presented with persistent absence (missing ≥ 10% of school). School refusal and absence due to ill-health were the most frequent types of absence, accounting for 37% and 22% of days missed, respectively. COVID-19 related absence accounted for just 11% of days missed. Child anxiety was associated with overall absenteeism and with days missed because of school refusal. Parent pandemic anxiety and child conduct problems were not associated with school absenteeism. Hyperactivity was associated with lower levels of absenteeism and school refusal but higher levels of school exclusion. A positive parent-teacher relationship was associated with lower levels of absenteeism, school refusal and exclusion. Child unmet need in school was the most frequently reported barrier to attendance while COVID-19 was one of the least frequently reported barriers. CONCLUSION COVID-19 had a limited impact on school attendance problems during this period. Findings highlighted the role of child mental health in different types of absence and the likely protective role of a positive parent-teacher relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Totsika
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, 149 Tottenham Court Road, Maple House 6th Floor, London, W1T 7NF, UK.
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal, and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
- Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Athanasia Kouroupa
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, 149 Tottenham Court Road, Maple House 6th Floor, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Amanda Timmerman
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, 149 Tottenham Court Road, Maple House 6th Floor, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Amanda Allard
- Council for Disabled Children, National Children's Bureau, London, UK
| | - Kylie M Gray
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal, and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Richard P Hastings
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal, and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - David Heyne
- Developmental and Educational Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Glenn A Melvin
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal, and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bruce Tonge
- Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal, and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Wang F, Memis I, Durocher JS, Furar E, Cavalcante L, Eshraghi RS, Samson AC, Van Herwegen J, Dukes D, Alessandri M, Mittal R, Eshraghi AA. Efficacy of coping mechanisms used during COVID-19 as reported by parents of children with autism. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283494. [PMID: 37053138 PMCID: PMC10101447 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic's alterations to daily life have been especially challenging for families with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), worsening the core features of ASD and overall mental health. With the increased need for effective coping, the current retrospective study used data from a survey regarding parent reports of how often their child with ASD used certain coping strategies (frequency), as well as the extent to which they felt their child benefitted from their use (efficacy) in mitigating stress during the pandemic. This retrospective study Repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate whether there were significant differences in both frequency and efficacy ratings for each coping strategy, for the entire sample as well as for three children's age groups. Using Spearman's rank-order correlations, correlation coefficients between the frequency and efficacy of each coping strategy were explored. Results revealed that maladaptive strategies were used more frequently than adaptive strategies, while parent routine as the most frequently used and efficacious for all age groups. Additionally, for adaptive strategies, humor and focusing on the positive had the strongest correlations between frequency and efficacy ratings amongst all age groups. Of the maladaptive strategies, repetitive behaviors, rumination, and isolation had the strongest correlations for the youngest, middle, and oldest age groups, respectively. Further, for each age group, the adaptive coping strategies had stronger correlations between frequency and efficacy than the maladaptive ones. It is our hope that the results of this study will lay the foundation for developing adaptive coping strategies to alleviate stress in children with ASD. Further investigations using a larger cohort are warranted to determine effective coping strategies for individuals with ASD across a range of situations, including acute stressors (such as future public health emergencies and natural disasters), as well as common daily stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Wang
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Idil Memis
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jennifer S Durocher
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America
| | - Emily Furar
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Leylane Cavalcante
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Rebecca S Eshraghi
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Andrea C Samson
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology, Unidistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
| | - Jo Van Herwegen
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL, Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Dukes
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michael Alessandri
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America
| | - Rahul Mittal
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Adrien A Eshraghi
- Hearing Research and Communication Disorders Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, United States of America
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6
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Alenezi S, Temsah MH, Alyahya AS, Almadani AH, Almarshedi A, Algazlan MS, Alnemary F, Bashiri FA, Alkhawashki SH, Altuwariqi MH, Alsedrani R, Alkhiri A, Alarabi M. Mental health impact of COVID-19 on Saudi families and children with special educational needs and disabilities in Saudi Arabia: A national perspective. Front Public Health 2022; 10:992658. [PMID: 36238239 PMCID: PMC9551570 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.992658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuliweeh Alenezi
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,*Correspondence: Shuliweeh Alenezi
| | - Mohamad-Hani Temsah
- Pediatric Department, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed S. Alyahya
- Department of Psychiatry, Eradah Complex for Mental Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad H. Almadani
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afnan Almarshedi
- Psychiatry Department, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha S. Algazlan
- Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Fahad A. Bashiri
- Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samah Hazem Alkhawashki
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maram Hani Altuwariqi
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Aqeel Alkhiri
- Department of Mental Health, Al Qunfudah General Hospital, Al Qunfudah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alarabi
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,SABIC Psychological Health Research and Applications Chair, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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The impact of COVID-19 on individuals with ASD in the US: Parent perspectives on social and support concerns. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270845. [PMID: 35976958 PMCID: PMC9384980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic’s disruptions to daily routines and services have proven especially challenging for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The current retrospective study aimed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic’s social environmental changes on parental ratings of personal and child concerns about family conflict, opportunities for social interaction, and loss of institutional support (school and therapy services). Analyses of responses from families with ASD in the US determined differences in concerns across three time points which were measured simultaneously: prior to COVID-19, at the start of COVID-19, and at the time of survey completion. From our sample of 246 school-aged children, parents retrospectively reported significantly increasing levels of concern for both themselves and their children over time, with parents’ personal concern levels rated consistently higher than their ratings of their child’s level of concern. Concerns about loss of institutional support were higher for parents of children reported as having co-occurring intellectual disability. Further, parents of younger children also reported more concerns about loss of services, as well as more social concerns. For parent ratings of child concerns, children who were reportedly aware of COVID-19 were determined to have higher levels of social concerns and concerns about loss of institutional support. Meanwhile, the child’s age and gender did not impact their parent ratings of child concerns. The increased level of parental and child-perceived concerns over the course of the pandemic suggests a need for improved service delivery and support for these families. The high levels of concerns observed in the current study provide support for the need to assess families’ priorities and tailor services to best meet families’ needs. This will potentially increase the quality of life of family members, and improve ASD services across the lifespan, and improve outcomes.
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Sideropoulos V, Kye H, Dukes D, Samson AC, Palikara O, Van Herwegen J. Anxiety and Worries of Individuals with Down Syndrome During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study in the UK. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 53:2021-2036. [PMID: 35106684 PMCID: PMC8806133 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05450-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present study explored the effects of the pandemic on individuals with Down Syndrome (DS; n = 67) compared to other groups with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND; n = 48) and their Typically Developing Siblings (TDS; n = 56). In total, 115 caregivers reported on their own anxiety and worries and of their children. Anxiety levels for individuals with DS appeared to be lower compared to other SEND populations and to TDS. In terms of worries, individuals with DS worried more about social-related worries but worried less about family-related aspects compared to the other groups. In sum, individuals with DS might show less anxiety but still worried more about specific aspects related to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on their lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Sideropoulos
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL, Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK.
| | - H Kye
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL, Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK
| | - D Dukes
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - A C Samson
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Faculty of Psychology, Unidistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
| | - O Palikara
- Department for Education Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - J Van Herwegen
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL, Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK
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