How is COVID-19 Affecting the Mental Health of Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Their Families?

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 51; no. 5; pp. 1772 - 1780
• Main Authors: Asbury, Kathryn, Fox, Laura, Deniz, Emre, Code, Aimee, Toseeb, Umar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety - psychology; Attention Deficit Disorders; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder - epidemiology; Autism Spectrum Disorder - psychology; Behavior Change; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Brief Communication; Child; Child & adolescent mental health; Child and School Psychology; Child Health; Child, Preschool; Children; Coding; Content Analysis; Control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - psychology; Developmental Delays; Disabilities; Disabled children; Disabled Persons - psychology; Down Syndrome; Education, Special - trends; Educational needs; Emotional Disturbances; Epidemics; Ethics; Families & family life; Family - psychology; Family Income; Family Relationship; Female; Foreign Countries; Grief; Health aspects; Humans; Influence; Language Impairments; Learning Problems; Male; Mental Health; Mental Health - trends; Mood; Neurosciences; Pandemics; Parent Attitudes; Parents; Parents & parenting; Parents - psychology; Pediatrics; Physical Disabilities; Physiological aspects; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Public Health; Risk factors; Social Change; Social Problems; Social Support Groups; Special Education; Special needs children; Special Needs Students; Special Schools; United Kingdom; United Kingdom - epidemiology; Visual Impairments; Worry; United Kingdom; COVID-19; Disabilities; Special educational needs; Mental health; Parents
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04577-2

Parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in the UK ( n  = 241) were asked to describe the impact of COVID-19 on their own mental health and that of their child. An inductive content analysis of the data was undertaken. Both parents and children appear to be experiencing loss, worry and changes in mood and behaviour as a result of the rapid social changes that have occurred. Some parents reported feeling overwhelmed and described the impact of child understanding and awareness. Finally, a minority of parents reported that COVID-19 has had little impact on mental health in their family, or has even led to improvements. Implications for how to support these families in the immediate future are discussed.