Mgaieth Farah, Palmer Melanie, Charman Tony, Simonoff Emily
Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2024 Dec 2. doi: 10.1007/s10803-024-06656-0.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented a great challenge for individuals around the globe, and particularly for vulnerable populations such as autistic children. This qualitative study explored the experience of autistic children (both verbal and minimally verbal) and their families during the pandemic in August-October 2020 through the lens of 18 parents recruited from an opportunistic follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Findings revealed that the pandemic was detrimental to the mental health of most parents. School closures, disrupted routines and concerns of the virus were believed by parents to be particularly responsible for increased in their child's behaviour that challenges and anxiety, resulting in changes in acquired skills and development of tics for some. However, other parents reported that increased one-to-one interaction with their child improved their social interaction and communication. Additionally, families felt more able to cope with the situation when supported by their partner, support services and schools. The findings highlight the challenges and benefits experienced by families with an autistic child during the pandemic. They provide valuable insights into potential areas that warrant attention when preparing for future emergencies. Enhancing our ability to respond to the needs of autistic children and their families, and establishing policies that can support their well-being should be prioritised to effectively address future challenges.
新冠疫情给全球各地的人们带来了巨大挑战，尤其是对自闭症儿童等弱势群体而言。这项定性研究通过从一项随机对照试验的机会性随访中招募的18位家长的视角，探讨了2020年8月至10月疫情期间自闭症儿童（包括能言语和极少言语的儿童）及其家庭的经历。研究结果显示，疫情对大多数家长的心理健康有害。家长们认为，学校关闭、日常生活被打乱以及对病毒的担忧尤其导致了孩子具有挑战性的行为增加和焦虑情绪，致使一些孩子已习得的技能出现变化并出现抽动症状。然而，其他家长报告称，与孩子一对一互动的增加改善了他们的社交互动和沟通。此外，当得到伴侣、支持服务机构和学校的支持时，家庭感觉更有能力应对这种情况。研究结果凸显了自闭症儿童家庭在疫情期间所经历的挑战和益处。它们为未来应对紧急情况时需要关注的潜在领域提供了宝贵见解。应优先提高我们应对自闭症儿童及其家庭需求的能力，并制定能够支持他们福祉的政策，以有效应对未来的挑战。
