Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Simons Foundation, New York, New York, USA.
Autism Res. 2021 Jun;14(6):1209-1219. doi: 10.1002/aur.2480. Epub 2021 Feb 8.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives around the world. Autistic adults are at higher risk for co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions and may be more prone to difficulties adapting to pandemic-related changes and social distancing mandates and coping with ongoing uncertainties. On the other hand, the pandemic may lead to greater understanding and acceptance of accommodations in the broader community that may facilitate supports for autistic adults beyond the pandemic. To learn more about their early pandemic experiences, online surveys were sent to independent adults enrolled in the Simons Powering Autism Research Knowledge (SPARK). The first survey was open from March 30 to April 19, 2020; a follow-up survey sent to original responders was open from May 27 to June 6, yielding 396 participants with data for both surveys. We found that adults who were female, younger, had prior diagnoses of a mental health condition, personal COVID-19 experience (i.e., knowing someone who had symptoms or tested positive) or less frequent hope for the future reported the greatest negative impacts. Decrease in feelings of hopefulness over time predicted greater psychological distress at T2, accounting for T1 impact and distress levels and increases in total COVID-19 impact. Less perceived benefit of online services also predicted later distress. Although there tends to be a focus on coping with negative effects of the pandemic, mental health providers may consider approaches that focus on positives, such as fostering hope and understanding factors that facilitate benefit from online services. LAY SUMMARY: Autistic adults may be at risk for psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study suggests that autistic adults who were younger, female, had a mental health diagnosis before the pandemic and knew someone who showed symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19 reported more areas negatively impacted by COVID-19 and greater difficulty coping with those effects. Decreases in hope over time were associated with greater psychological distress. Less perceived benefit from online services also predicted distress 2 months later. These results suggest important areas to further explore as we develop supports for autistic adults during the pandemic.
COVID-19 大流行扰乱了世界各地的生活。自闭症成年人患共病的医学和精神疾病的风险较高，可能更容易难以适应与大流行相关的变化和社会距离要求，并应对持续的不确定性。另一方面，大流行可能会导致更广泛的社区对适应措施的理解和接受程度更高，这可能会促进大流行后为自闭症成年人提供支持。为了更多地了解他们在大流行早期的经历，向参加西蒙斯自闭症研究知识助力（Simons Powering Autism Research Knowledge，SPARK）计划的独立成年人发送了在线调查。第一次调查于 2020 年 3 月 30 日至 4 月 19 日开放；向原始应答者发送的后续调查于 5 月 27 日至 6 月 6 日开放，共有 396 名参与者完成了两次调查。我们发现，女性、年龄较小、有先前精神健康诊断、个人 COVID-19 经历（即，认识有症状或检测呈阳性的人）或对未来的希望较少的成年人报告的负面影响最大。随着时间的推移，希望感的下降预测了 T2 时更大的心理困扰，考虑到 T1 的影响和困扰水平以及 COVID-19 总影响的增加。对在线服务益处的感知减少也预测了以后的困扰。尽管人们往往关注应对大流行的负面影响，但心理健康提供者可能会考虑关注积极因素的方法，例如培养希望并理解有助于从在线服务中受益的因素。
COVID-19 大流行扰乱了世界各地的生活。自闭症成年人患共病的医学和精神疾病的风险较高，可能更容易难以适应与大流行相关的变化和社会距离要求，并应对持续的不确定性。另一方面，大流行可能会导致更广泛的社区对适应措施的理解和接受程度更高，这可能会促进大流行后为自闭症成年人提供支持。为了更多地了解他们在大流行早期的经历，向参加西蒙斯自闭症研究知识助力（Simons Powering Autism Research Knowledge，SPARK）计划的独立成年人发送了在线调查。第一次调查于 2020 年 3 月 30 日至 4 月 19 日开放；向原始应答者发送的后续调查于 5 月 27 日至 6 月 6 日开放，共有 396 名参与者完成了两次调查。我们发现，女性、年龄较小、有先前精神健康诊断、个人 COVID-19 经历（即，认识有症状或检测呈阳性的人）或对未来的希望较少的成年人报告的负面影响最大。随着时间的推移，希望感的下降预测了 T2 时更大的心理困扰，考虑到 T1 的影响和困扰水平以及 COVID-19 总影响的增加。对在线服务益处的感知减少也预测了以后的困扰。尽管人们往往关注应对大流行的负面影响，但心理健康提供者可能会考虑关注积极因素的方法，例如培养希望并理解有助于从在线服务中受益的因素。
