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Background: Previous studies have reported a negative psychological and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact is likely to be stronger for people with autism as they are at heightened risk of mental health problems and because the pandemic directly affects social functioning and everyday routines. We therefore examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in mental health, the impact of the pandemic on their social life and routines, satisfaction with pandemic-related information and tips, and participants’ wishes for guidance.
Methods: We used a mixed-method approach, collecting quantitative and qualitative survey data from adults with and without autism across three European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (N = 1044).
Results: We found an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in response to the pandemic for both the non-autism and the autism group, which was greater for adults with autism. Furthermore, adults with autism showed a greater increase in worries about their pets, work, getting medication and food, and their own safety/security. They felt more relieved from social stress, yet experienced the loss of social contact as difficult. Adults with autism also felt more stressed about the loss of routines. Pleasant changes noted by adults with autism were the increase in solidarity and reduced sensory and social overload. Adults with autism frequently reported problems with cancellation of guidance due to the pandemic and expressed their wish for (more) autism-specific information and advice.
Limitations: Our sample is likely to reflect some degree of selection bias, and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects.
Conclusions: Results highlight the psychological burden of the pandemic on adults with autism and shed light on how to support them during this COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially important now that the pandemic is likely to have a prolonged course. There is a need for accessible, affordable (continued) support from health services. Guidance may focus on the maintenance of a social network, and adjusting routines to the rapid ongoing changes. Finally, we may learn from the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes experienced as pleasant by adults with autism to build a more autism-friendly society post-pandemic.
Keywords
COVID-19, Pandemic, Autism, mental health
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View the published article at Molecular Autism.
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On 20 Jan, 2021
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On 20 Jan, 2021
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On 20 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 20 Jan, 2021
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 22 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 14 Dec, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 13 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 23 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 22 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 22 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Nov, 2020
First submitted
On 16 Nov, 2020
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Subject Areas
Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience
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See the published version of this preprint at Molecular Autism.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at Molecular Autism.
Version 2
Posted 28 Jan, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 20 Jan, 2021
Editor assigned
On 20 Jan, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 20 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 20 Jan, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 20 Jan, 2021
Editor invited
On 20 Jan, 2021
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 22 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 14 Dec, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 13 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 23 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Nov, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 22 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 22 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 19 Nov, 2020
First submitted
On 16 Nov, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at Molecular Autism.
Background: Previous studies have reported a negative psychological and mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This impact is likely to be stronger for people with autism as they are at heightened risk of mental health problems and because the pandemic directly affects social functioning and everyday routines. We therefore examined COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in mental health, the impact of the pandemic on their social life and routines, satisfaction with pandemic-related information and tips, and participants’ wishes for guidance.
Methods: We used a mixed-method approach, collecting quantitative and qualitative survey data from adults with and without autism across three European countries: Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (N = 1044).
Results: We found an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in response to the pandemic for both the non-autism and the autism group, which was greater for adults with autism. Furthermore, adults with autism showed a greater increase in worries about their pets, work, getting medication and food, and their own safety/security. They felt more relieved from social stress, yet experienced the loss of social contact as difficult. Adults with autism also felt more stressed about the loss of routines. Pleasant changes noted by adults with autism were the increase in solidarity and reduced sensory and social overload. Adults with autism frequently reported problems with cancellation of guidance due to the pandemic and expressed their wish for (more) autism-specific information and advice.
Limitations: Our sample is likely to reflect some degree of selection bias, and longitudinal studies are needed to determine long-term effects.
Conclusions: Results highlight the psychological burden of the pandemic on adults with autism and shed light on how to support them during this COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially important now that the pandemic is likely to have a prolonged course. There is a need for accessible, affordable (continued) support from health services. Guidance may focus on the maintenance of a social network, and adjusting routines to the rapid ongoing changes. Finally, we may learn from the COVID-19 pandemic-related changes experienced as pleasant by adults with autism to build a more autism-friendly society post-pandemic.
Figure 1
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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