Symptoms of anxiety and depression and quality of life in parents of children with autism during the second wave of the pandemic

Abstract

Background: Local political discord together with isolation and fear marked the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms and analyze adult quality of life (QoL) during the pandemic in four groups: "childless", "children without mental problems", "children with autism" and "children with other mental problems."

Methods and procedures: A sample of 867 individuals recruited using social media in northeastern Brazil completed the following instruments: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, Brazilian version), the WHOQOL-Bref, and a sociodemographic form OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The mean score for depression was significantly higher in the "children with autism" group compared to the other groups. The mean anxiety score was significantly higher in the "children with autism" and "childless" groups. Mean QoL scores were lower in the "children with autism" group compared to the other groups for all the domains, with this difference being statistically significant compared with the "children without mental problems" group for all the domains.

Conclusions and implications: Anxiety and depression symptoms were greater and QoL scores were lower in parents of children with autism. All groups benefitted from logistic support during the pandemic, whereas having to care for others negatively impacted QoL.

Keywords: Anxiety; Autism; COVID-19; Depression; Pandemic; Parents; Quality of life.