Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Caregivers of Autistic Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the Families Facing COVID Study

Kelsey A Friesen; Jonathan A Weiss; Stephanie J Howe; Connor M Kerns; Carly A McMorris

doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05177-4

Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Caregivers of Autistic Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the Families Facing COVID Study

J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jul;52(7):3027-3037. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05177-4. Epub 2021 Jul 8.

Authors

Kelsey A Friesen^{1

2}, Jonathan A Weiss³, Stephanie J Howe^{1

2}, Connor M Kerns⁴, Carly A McMorris^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, EDT 508, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
² Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
³ Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
⁵ Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, EDT 508, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada. [email protected].
⁶ Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada. [email protected].

Abstract

Many caregivers of autistic people experience mental health issues, and the impact of disruptions due to COVID-19 may present additional challenges for these individuals. This study characterized caregiver stress, anxiety, and resilient coping during COVID-19 and investigated the impact of COVID-19 disruptions, demographic variables, and resilient coping on mental health. The majority of caregivers reported some degree of disruption associated with COVID-19, and more than half reported moderate levels of stress and high anxiety. Resilient coping did not emerge as a moderator between COVID-19 disruptions and caregiver mental health, but instead had a direct effect on outcomes. Future research is needed to understand additional factors impacting the mental health of caregivers of autistic people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Autism; COVID-19; Caregiver; Mental health; Resilience.

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological
Autism Spectrum Disorder*
Autistic Disorder*
COVID-19*
Caregivers / psychology
Humans
Mental Health
Pandemics