This longitudinal study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 62; M-age = 13 years) by measuring emotional and behavioral problems before... Show moreThis longitudinal study assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 62; M-age = 13 years) by measuring emotional and behavioral problems before and during the pandemic, and by comparing this change to a matched sample of children without ASD (n = 213; M-age = 16 years). Moreover, we examined whether indicators of parental well-being promoted resilience of children with ASD. Results showed that the mean change in problems did not differ between children with and without ASD. Importantly, some children showed an increase in problems, while others showed resilience. Parental well-being indicators were not related to resilience among children with ASD. The interindividual variability in responses, particularly among children with ASD, highlights the need for personalized support. Show less
Fang, Y.; Raat, H.; Windhorst, D.A.; Fierloos, I.N.; Jonkman, H.; Hosman, C.M.H.; ... ; Grieken, A. van 2022
Background: Stressful life events (SLEs) are recognized risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems, but the association is understudied among young children. Our aim was to examine the... Show moreBackground: Stressful life events (SLEs) are recognized risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems, but the association is understudied among young children. Our aim was to examine the association between exposure to SLEs and emotional and behavioral problems in young children up to 7 years old. Methods: We analyzed baseline data from 959 children (mean age = 3.3 years; SD = 1.9; 47.5% girls) in the CIKEO study, a community-based longitudinal study in the Netherlands. Linear regression was used to assess the associations between the total as well as the individual exposure to SLEs experienced in the past 12 months, and emotional and behavioral problems assessed by CBCL 1.5-5. Interactions of SLEs and child age, sex, ethnic background, and socioeconomic status were explored. Results: Higher total exposure to SLEs, as indicated by the number of SLEs, was significantly associated with higher CBCL total, internalizing and externalizing problem scores (p for trend < 0.05). The results did not differ by child age, sex, ethnic background, or family SES. Six out of the 12 SLEs explored were independently associated with greater CBCL total/externalizing/internalizing scores (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Exposure to SLEs is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems in young children, and the impact of SLEs may vary depending on the types of events. Stressful life events might be a useful target for interventions to improve emotional and behavioral well-being among young children. Show less
Mheen, M. van der; Meulen, M.H. van der; Boer, S.L. den; Schreutelkamp, D.J.; Ende, J. van der; Nijs, P.F.A. de; ... ; Dalinghaus, M. 2019
