Protective and risk activities for emotional and behavioural well-being of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown.

BACKGROUND: The lockdown imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic brought deep changes in the daily life of Italian children and adolescents, increasing the time spent at home. This study aims to explore how activities that children and adolescents carried out at home during the lockdown were related to their emotional and behavioural well-being. METHOD: Parents completed an anonymous online survey on how much time their children and adolescents dedicated to social networks, solitary screen time, play time and to a series of parent-child dyadic activities. They also reported on their offspring's emotional difficulties and behavioural problems. RESULTS: The use of social networks had a negative impact on children's emotional difficulties, while it promoted well-being in adolescents. Pertaining to solitary screen activities, these were associated with more behavioural problems in both children and adolescents. Regarding parent-child dyadic activities, get along with the parent was associated with less emotional difficulties and behavioural problems in children and with less behavioural problems in adolescents. Furthermore, for adolescents, the more they talked with the parent, the less behavioural problems they evidenced. CONCLUSION: The current study may help to identify activities that could be promoted and those that should be limited to effectively menage home time, in order to ultimately safeguard the emotional and behavioural well-being of children and adolescents.

What Factors Predict Adaptive Functioning in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Longitudinal Study.

Adaptive functioning constitutes a fundamental aspect of the phenotype associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in preschool-aged children, exerting a significant influence on both the child and the family's overall quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of the adaptive functioning domains in preschool-age children with ASD at two time points, providing a snapshot of this fundamental developmental step. Methods: Ninety-five children with ASD (M = 3.89, SD = 1.13) were included in the study and longitudinal data (the mean length of the longitudinal data collection was 1 year) on ASD features such as social communication and social interaction, repetitive and restricted behavior, cognitive level, and adaptive functioning were collected. We considered autistic features, cognitive level, and sociodemographic factors as possible predictors of the different adaptive functioning domains one year later. Results: Data obtained showed a worsening of the ASD features and adaptive functioning after one year. Furthermore, the severity of repetitive and restricted behavior predicted adaptive functioning, especially in the social and practical domains of the child, one year later. This prediction was observed alongside the child's cognitive level. Conclusions: The study identifies some potential predictive factors of specific adaptive functioning domains in preschoolers with ASD. Considering how critical adaptive functioning is for the well-being of both the child and their family, it becomes imperative to design early-stage interventions focused on nurturing adaptive skills in children with ASD.

How Were Healthcare Workers after Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination? A Study of the Emotional Side Effects of Vaccination.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines appear to be the only escape from the COVID-19 pandemic. As healthcare workers were among the first in society to be vaccinated, understanding their emotional status post-vaccination is fundamental to the promotion of COVID-19 vaccines among the rest of society. The aims of this study were to investigate the predictors of positive and negative emotions experienced by healthcare workers after being vaccinated and to understand whether those emotions were related to the modalities of vaccine promotion within the community. A cohort of 5790 Italian healthcare workers completed an original online survey regarding their experience with anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and reported on a series of personal and environmental factors. The data obtained show that increased risk perception of COVID-19, vaccine confidence and receipt of greater quantities of information regarding vaccines are predictors of a more positive emotional state post-vaccination. Predictors of a more negative emotional state are older age, lower education, lower confidence and receipt of smaller quantities of information, in addition to neurotic personality traits and high risk perception of COVID-19. Importantly, vaccination promotion may be favoured by a happy emotional status after vaccination. This study can serve as a source of guidelines for the promotion of COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers and laypeople.

Risk and protective factors of quality of life for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families during the COVID-19 lockdown. An Italian study.

BACKGROUND: The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult period for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and their families. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of the quality of life (QoL) of children with ASD and their parents throughout the first lockdown, providing a snapshot of the impact of the pandemic on these families life. METHOD AND PROCEDURES: A cohort of 243 parents of children with ASD (2-15 years old) completed an original online survey regarding the modification of ASD cores symptoms during lockdown, the type of interventions they had done before and during lockdown and the activities performed by the child. Respondents filled the PedsQL for themselves and their children. OUTCOME AND RESULTS: The data obtained show a worsening of specific ASD core symptoms during lockdown and their role in predicting parents and children's QoL. Furthermore, protective factors for a better children's QoL as the Telehealth intervention, and some activities done at home during the lockdown as physical activity and play with parents are identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies the QoL's risk and protective factors for children with ASD and their families. Furthermore, reveals the fundamental role of the parents as children's QoL protective factor, suggesting a higher collaboration between families and health care providers, whilst potentially improving families and children's QoL.