A longitudinal study of the mental health of autistic children and adolescents and their parents during COVID-19: Part 2, qualitative findings.
Kathryn Asbury, Umar Toseeb
PMID 35669990WHAT IT FOUND
Parents reported that school closures reduced anxiety and distress for some autistic children, while increasing it for others.
Worry peaked at the start of lockdown and again when schools reopened. Distress often showed as challenging behaviour rather than low mood.
Key findings
01Worry was the dominant theme, peaking at the start of lockdown and spiking again when schools reopened, while distress was less prevalent but often manifested as challenging behaviour.
02A substantial minority of parents reported improved wellbeing for their children during lockdown, attributing it to the removal of school demands and the resulting calmer home environment.
03Autistic young people showed higher levels of anxiety and psychological distress than those with other special educational needs, and their anxiety did not decrease over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relied entirely on parent reports, with no direct data from the autistic young people themselves. There was no community involvement from the autistic community in the study design or analysis. The sample was self-selected and may not represent the wider population. Attrition was high, with only 9% of participants completing all four timepoints, though new participants were added at each wave. The study excluded non-verbal and minimally verbal children, limiting generalisability to those groups. Qualitative data cannot establish causality or measure the magnitude of effects.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The work was part funded by the Wellcome Trust through the Centre for Future Health at the University of York.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that school closures are harmful for all autistic children. The study found that a substantial minority experienced improved wellbeing and reduced anxiety when removed from school demands. Conversely, do not assume that reopening schools resolves distress, as worry and anxiety spiked again at this timepoint for many. Individual variation in response to environmental changes is critical.