Date of Completion

2022

Document Type

Research Project

Degree Name

Grade 12

Keywords

COVID-19 lockdown, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), caregiver, physical health, mental health, social-emotional health

Abstract

Children in the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community are one of the most affected groups during the lockdown, with isolation significantly affecting their lifestyles. Previous studies have demonstrated that the situation and condition of children with ASD and caregivers in the COVID-19 pandemic have been affecting their overall health status. Thus, it is necessary to present the demographic profile of both children and caregivers and explore the effects of lockdown on all aspects of health—physical, mental, and social-emotional health—for both caregivers and their children with ASD. The study used a self-made questionnaire guided by the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Child Behavior Checklist to study the health of caregivers and children ages 3 to 18. Results indicated that the children with ASD are mostly 11 to 15 years old (37.5%), male (71.9%), level one of ASD (59.4%), residing in San Pedro, Laguna (21.9%), and had middle socio-economic status (59.4%). Caregivers were mostly 40 to 49 years old, female (93.7%), family caregivers (71.9%), and residing in San Pedro, Laguna (25.1%). It was also found that both caregivers and children with ASD were affected by the lockdown in terms of their physical, social-emotional, and mental health, but data showed the highest mean of moderate health status (overall mean of 0.82 for children with ASD and 0.86 for caregivers) for physical health, concluding that both caregivers and children with ASD's physical health were the most negatively, but leniently, affected. This proved the existence of negative effects of COVID-19 lockdown on the overall health of children with ASD and their caregivers. The research called upon and recommended health institutions and other organizations to provide aid such as increasing access to medical services for the ASD community.

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