Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34624722›Full record

ArticleResearch in developmental disabilities2021

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic social restrictions on individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers in the Stateof Qatar: A cross-sectional study.

Yasser Saeed Khan, Abdul Waheed Khan, Mohamed El Tahir, Samer Hammoudeh, Mahmoud Al Shamlawi, Majid Alabdulla

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Research in developmental disabilities, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Experiences of caregivers of children with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir Kommunikasieafwykings · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Yasser Saeed KhanMental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Electronic address: ykhan5@hamad.qa.
Abdul Waheed KhanMental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Electronic address: akhan16@hamad.qa.
Mohamed El TahirMental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Electronic address: meltahir2@hamad.qa.
Samer HammoudehMental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Electronic address: shammoudeh@hamad.qa.
Mahmoud Al ShamlawiMental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Electronic address: malshamlawi@hamad.qa.
Majid AlabdullaMental Health Service, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. Electronic address: malabdulla3@hamad.qa.
Hamad Medical Corporation · QA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPrevious research has established an association between changes to the daily routine of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and increase in maladaptive behaviours. The relationship between maladaptive behaviours in autistic individuals and increase in care burden among their caregivers is also well established. However, no study has yet examined these associations in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main aim of this study was to explore the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on autistic individuals and their caregivers.

methodsA questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted with the caregivers of 58 autistic individuals across the mental health services at Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. The extent of care burden was measured using the Care Burden Interview, whereas changes in behaviour in autistic individuals was assessed using the Revised Overt Aggression Scale.

resultsA total of 58 caregivers participated in the study. Out of these, 24 (41 %) reported a clinically significant increase in their care burden. Among caregivers reporting an increase in care burden, two-third were caring for individuals whose behaviour either remained unchanged or improved during social restrictions. Nine autistic people (15.5 %) were reported to have no aggression prior to the implementation of COVID-19 social restrictions compared to 13 (22.4%) individuals during COVID-19 social restrictions. Minimal, mild and moderate aggression were reported in 27 (46.6 %), 21 (36.2 %), and 1 (1.7 %) patients respectively, before COVID-19 social restrictions compared to 29 (50 %), 15 (25.9), and 1 (1.7 %) during COVID-19 restrictions. Severe aggression was not reported in any patient either before or during COVID-19 social restrictions.

conclusionThis study showed reduced levels of aggression in autistic individuals but an increase in care burden among their caregivers during the COVID-19 social restrictions highlighting the need of supporting patients and caregivers alike.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderCOVID-19CaregiversCross-Sectional StudiesHumansPandemicsQatarSARS-CoV-2AggressionAutism spectrum disorderCare burdenCOVID-19 social restrictionsDaily routine change

Identifiers

PMID34624722
PMCPMC8481093
OpenAlexW3202119452

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.