Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Parents of Children with Special Needs

• Published in: Pakistan Armed Forces medical journal Vol. 74; no. 1; p. 71
• Main Authors: Nauman, Muhammad, Maqbool, Shazia, Ali, Anam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rawalpindi Knowledge Bylanes 29-02-2024; AsiaNet Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd; Army Medical College Rawalpindi
• Subjects: Adolescent; Caregivers; Child; Children & youth; Childrens health; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disabled children; Disease prevention; Disease transmission; Education; Epidemics; Exceptional children; Families & family life; Family; Intellectual disabilities; Mental disorders; Mental health; Pakistan; Pandemics; Parents; Parents & parenting; Pediatrics; Preschool; Psychological aspects; Social aspects; Stress; Teenagers; Therapists; Pakistan
• ISSN: 0030-9648; 2411-8842
• DOI: 10.51253/pafmj.v74i1.9340

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the association of COVID-19-related psychosocial Impact in parents of children with special needs. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Department, University of Child Health Sciences, The Children's Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from August to December 2021. Methodology: A study sample of 213 parents of children (aged 1-16 years) with disabilities was recruited. The Perceived Stress Scale was administered. Results: Most children 133(62.4%) with special needs were males with a mean age of 61.36±29.17 months. 91(42.7%) parents fear that either themselves or their family members could be affected by COVID-19. 75(35.2%) parents reported that their special needs child knew preventive measures for COVID-19. 147(69%) parents were facing social difficulties because of COVID-19. Income was negatively correlated with stress. Stress was more evident in parents who had a fear of the loss of a family member and who thought that disabled children needed more protection than their other children. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative effect on parents of children with special needs due to the restrictions imposed all over the country. One of the few factors that increased stress among parents of special needs children in COVID-19 were financial and social difficulties.