The initial COVID-19 home-quarantine period in Israel provided a unique opportunity to observe the impact of extended home confinement on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. The study titled "Home-quarantine during the initial Covid-19 outbreak in Israel: parent perceived impact on children with ASD" by Arazi et al. (2022) offers critical insights that practitioners can use to improve their approaches and services. This blog aims to highlight the key findings and suggest ways practitioners can implement these outcomes or further their research.
Key Findings from the Study
The study involved an anonymous online questionnaire completed by parents of 268 children with ASD. The parents reported significant changes in various domains, which can be grouped into child-related and parent-related impacts.
- Child-Related Impacts:
- Increased severity of tantrums, anxiety, and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB).
- Improvements in social and communication abilities, including reciprocal play, verbal, and non-verbal communication.
- Parent-Related Impacts:
- Negative impacts on parents' mood and sleep.
- Positive impacts on family relationships, parenting skills, and cooperation between partners.
Implications for Practitioners
Given these findings, practitioners can take several steps to enhance their skills and provide better support to families of children with ASD:
- Focus on Social and Communication Skills: The study found improvements in these areas despite the overall challenges. Practitioners should emphasize activities that promote social interaction and communication during therapy sessions.
- Address Increased Anxiety and RRB: Tailored interventions to manage anxiety and RRB are crucial. This could include behavioral strategies and stress-reduction techniques.
- Support for Parents: The improvement in parenting skills and family relationships highlights the need for parent-focused interventions. Training parents to be effective co-therapists can be beneficial.
- Utilize Online Services: Nearly half of the parents found online consultations helpful. Developing structured online programs that empower parents can enhance the effectiveness of remote services.
Encouraging Further Research
The study's mixed results underscore the importance of ongoing research to better understand the complexities of home-quarantine impacts on children with ASD. Practitioners are encouraged to participate in or initiate research that explores:
- The long-term effects of home-quarantine on children with ASD and their families.
- The efficacy of different types of online services and interventions.
- Strategies to mitigate the negative impacts while enhancing the positive outcomes observed during home-quarantine.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 home-quarantine period presented both challenges and opportunities for families of children with ASD. By leveraging the insights from the study by Arazi et al. (2022), practitioners can refine their approaches to support these families better. Emphasizing social and communication skills, addressing anxiety and RRB, supporting parents, and utilizing online services can lead to improved outcomes.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Home-quarantine during the initial Covid-19 outbreak in Israel: parent perceived impact on children with ASD.
