Siracusano Martina, Segatori Eugenia, Riccioni Assia, Emberti Gialloreti Leonardo, Curatolo Paolo, Mazzone Luigi
Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 40, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
Children (Basel). 2021 Feb 2;8(2):96. doi: 10.3390/children8020096.
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families have represented a fragile population on which the extreme circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak may have doubly impaired. Interruption of therapeutical interventions delivered in-person and routine disruption constituted some of the main challenges they had to face. This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on adaptive functioning, behavioral problems, and repetitive behaviors of children with ASD. In a sample of 85 Italian ASD children (mean age 7 years old; 68 males, 17 females), through a comparison with a baseline evaluation performed during the months preceding COVID-19, we evaluated whether after the compulsory home confinement any improvement or worsening was reported by parents of ASD individuals using standardized instruments (Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (Second Edition), Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised). No significant worsening in the adaptive functioning, problematic, and repetitive behaviors emerged after the compulsory home confinement. Within the schooler children, clinical stability was found in reference to both adaptive skills and behavioral aspects, whereas within preschoolers, a significant improvement in adaptive skills emerged and was related to the subsistence of web-delivered intervention, , and online support during the lockdown.
患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童及其家庭是一个脆弱群体，新冠疫情的极端情况可能对他们造成了双重损害。面对面治疗干预的中断和日常生活的打乱是他们不得不面对的一些主要挑战。本研究调查了新冠疫情封锁对ASD儿童适应性功能、行为问题和重复行为的影响。在85名意大利ASD儿童（平均年龄7岁；68名男性，17名女性）的样本中，通过与新冠疫情前几个月进行的基线评估相比较，我们使用标准化工具（《适应性行为评估系统（第二版）》、阿肯巴克儿童行为量表、重复行为量表修订版）评估了在强制居家隔离后，ASD儿童的家长是否报告了任何改善或恶化情况。强制居家隔离后，适应性功能、问题行为和重复行为均未出现显著恶化。在学龄儿童中，在适应性技能和行为方面均发现了临床稳定性，而在学龄前儿童中，适应性技能出现了显著改善，这与封锁期间网络提供的干预措施以及在线支持的持续存在有关。
