Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Caregivers of Autistic Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the Families Facing COVID Study.
Kelsey A Friesen, Jonathan A Weiss, Stephanie J Howe and 2 others
PMID 34240291WHAT IT FOUND
Most caregivers of autistic children reported high anxiety and moderate stress during the pandemic, with nearly half showing low resilient coping.
While resilient coping was linked to better mental health overall, it did not buffer the specific impact of pandemic disruptions on stress or anxiety.
Key findings
01The majority of caregivers reported moderate levels of stress and high levels of anxiety, while nearly half of the sample fell into the low resilience group.
02Resilient coping was associated with lower stress and anxiety, but it did not significantly moderate the relationship between pandemic-related difficulties and caregiver mental health.
03Caregiver stress and anxiety were significantly associated with demographic factors such as identifying as female, poorer financial management, and the child having pre-existing mental health concerns.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot determine causality or the direction of associations. Data was collected at a single early time point in the pandemic (June-July 2020), which may not reflect later experiences. Measures were not designed specifically for pandemic contexts, and short forms were used, potentially missing relevant aspects of caregiver distress. Caregiver ethnicity was not collected, preventing analysis of racial or cultural factors. Reliance on single-informant self-report introduces potential response bias.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Funding sources are not explicitly detailed in the provided text, but the study was part of the 'Families Facing COVID' project.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that resilient coping is ineffective for caregivers. The study found that coping was associated with lower overall stress and anxiety, but it did not act as a buffer against the specific impact of pandemic disruptions. This suggests coping helps general mental health but may not protect against external crises like lockdowns.