Impact of COVID-19 on children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their family

Project description COVID-19 and the measures it has taken have a major impact on families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children and young people with ASD often experience difficulty with social communication, changes, and unclear social rules. In order to keep the children in the social life and educational landscape as much as possible, a detailed and specialized care network has often been built around the children. This study examines the following in the children and their parents: The psycho-emotional impact The risk and protective factors Care and information need More than 600 families are approached via three mental health institutions in the Rotterdam region to report their experiences in questionnaires and interviews. The data is compared with control data from Generation R, a general population cohort. The mixed-method approach provides both an evaluation of current COVID-19 measures and a starting point for future policy on life-changing events.