Mental health indicators of children with autism spectrum disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review Indicadores de salud mental de los niños con trastorno del espectro autista durante la pandemia por COVID-19: una revisión de alcance

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed adaptive challenges for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to the disruption of health and educational routines and services.

Objectives: The scoping review aims to examine and integrate the literature on mental health indicators of children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on emotional, social, behavioral, and cognitive aspects.

Methods: A systematic search for studies was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Central between January and February 2024.

Results: Twenty-five studies were identified that explored various aspects of mental health indicators in children with ASD during the pandemic. Only three of these studies developed a methodology that allowed assessment of pre- and post-pandemic changes by creating pre-established follow-up cohorts prior to the outbreak. Although some of the studies indicated stability or improvements in mental health indicators, several factors were identified that could worsen symptoms in these children such as caregiver stress, low income, and interruption of face-to-face therapies.

Conclusion: The results of the reviewed studies are inconclusive due to methodological limitations in the research designs. The findings suggest the need to develop more robust and consistent methodological approaches to assess the impact of stressful events such as the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children with ASD, with an emphasis on creating long-term follow-up cohorts that allow for a more complete understanding of the effects over time.