Factors affecting the behavior of children with ASD during the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Aim and methods: Cross-sectional data from 118 Chilean children with ASD collected during the pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 were evaluated to analyze predictors of behavioral problem impairment. Results: Forty-five percent of parents stated that their children’s behavioral difficulties increased in intensity or frequency. The adjusted predictors were having a family member hospitalized with COVID-19 (OR = 4.11; 95% CI = 1.53–11.1) and parents’ mental health disorders during the pandemic (OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.01–5.83). Conclusion: Potentially modifiable psychosocial factors affecting children’s behavior should be considered in a possible second outbreak.