NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS AND PARENTAL STRESS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: AN ITALIAN RETROSPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL STUDY

ABSTRACT

AIM: The objective of our study is to evaluate the impact that the COVID-19 emergency and the related measures adopted have had on the family management of minors with neuropsychiatric disorders. Another objective of this study is to carry out a first longitudinal evaluation of this impact on parental stress, comparing the data collected before the pandemic with those collected during the lockdown. METHODS: This is an observational study that involved 271 families of patients already treated at the Child Neuropsychiatry Unit of the Salerno University Hospital between 2 and 23 years (112 with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 86 with epilepsy and 73 with other disorders of neurodevelopment). All participants were given an ad hoc telephone interview and a standardized questionnaire (PSI - Parenting Stress Index-Short Form). The telephone interview showed that a significant percentage of parents reported an increase in their child's daily management difficulties during the lock-down and emotional / behavioral problems, in particular the externalizing disorder. Comparison of the mean scores of the PSI-SF questionnaires completed before and during the lockdown showed a statistically significant increase in scores in the Total Stress scale and in the Parental Distress subscales. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that the confinement measures and changes in daily routine imposed by quarantine negatively affected the behavioral and emotional dimensions of both children and parents causing a significant increase in parental stress, which is mainly related to feelings of inadequacy in relation to their role in such a delicate situation, and concern for the future.