Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-Cho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan.
Mori Arinori Center for Higher Education and Global Mobility, Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2022 Mar 12;12(1):4298. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-08273-2.
This study aimed to reveal changes in the quality of life (QOL) of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents, and the interaction between their QOL and parental mental state during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Eighty-nine school-aged children and parents participated in surveys in May 2020 (T1) and May 2021 (T2). The parents completed questionnaires that assessed their QOL, depression, parenting stress, and living conditions. Children's temporary mood status was evaluated using the self-reported visual analog scale (VAS). Children's QOL and VAS at T2 were higher than their QOL at T1. Parents' QOL at T2 was lower than their QOL at T1. Severe parental depression at T1 had a synergistic effect on severe parenting stress and severe depressive state at T2. Additionally, children's high QOL at T1 had a synergistic effect on low parenting stress and children's high QOL at T2. Furthermore, children's low VAS scores and parents' low QOL at T2 were associated with deterioration of family economic status. Children and parents' QOL changed during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Improvement in children's QOL was influenced by reduced maternal depressive symptoms. Public support for parental mental health is important to avoid decreasing QOL.
本研究旨在揭示新冠疫情期间儿童神经发育障碍及其父母生活质量（QOL）的变化，以及他们的 QOL 与父母心理状态之间的相互作用。89 名学龄儿童及其父母于 2020 年 5 月（T1）和 2021 年 5 月（T2）参与了调查。父母完成了评估他们 QOL、抑郁、育儿压力和生活条件的问卷。儿童的临时情绪状态使用自我报告的视觉模拟量表（VAS）进行评估。与 T1 相比，儿童在 T2 的 QOL 和 VAS 更高。与 T1 相比，父母在 T2 的 QOL 更低。T1 时严重的父母抑郁对 T2 时严重的育儿压力和严重的抑郁状态有协同作用。此外，T1 时儿童较高的 QOL 对 T2 时较低的育儿压力和儿童较高的 QOL 有协同作用。此外，T2 时儿童较低的 VAS 评分和父母较低的 QOL 与家庭经济状况恶化有关。在新冠疫情持续期间，儿童和父母的 QOL 发生了变化。儿童 QOL 的改善受到母亲抑郁症状减轻的影响。为避免 QOL 下降，公众对父母心理健康的支持很重要。
