Work

Impact of COVID-19 on Adaptive Skills and Psychiatric Symptoms in South Korean Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective We examine the effect of COVID-19 on South Korean children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using a comprehensive online caregiver survey. Method Caregivers of 132 children were recruited among 292 children identified with ASD in a large general population epidemiologic cohort from a suburban South Korean city. Using the Korean translation of the CoRonavIruS Health Impact Survey, adapted for autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions (CRISIS-AFAR), data were collected at three time points (3 months before the pandemic, January to June of 2021, and 3-4 months after). Changes in adaptive living skills, lower and higher order restrictive and repetitive behaviors (RRBs), co-occurring problem behaviors (activity/attention, oppositional, and anxiety/affect) were assessed over time. Characteristics of more vulnerable subgroups were identified. Results Among 132 children with ASD (81.1% boys, age 12.6±1.88 years), a significantly larger proportion maintained their initial level of adaptive living skills (43.9%), RRBs (39.4-51.5%), and co-occurring problem behaviors (>75%), when compared to the proportion of those who worsened or fluctuated (p<0.001). Less than 25% of the participants showed worsening in any domain at both time intervals. Participants who demonstrated stability in activity/attention problem behaviors and lower order RRBs had significantly better baseline physical health (p=0.032), and higher intelligence, ability to attend general education, and milder language deficits (all p=0.027). Conclusion Most South Korean children with ASD demonstrated stability despite the lack of consistency or structure during the pandemic. A 2-year longitudinal follow-up study is underway.

Source: JAACAP Open

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaacop.2025.04.004