Institutional and family support impact on health-related quality of life of children with autism spectrum disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PROBLEMS: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to have a notably poorer quality of life than the general population, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyze the association between institutional support and family support on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with ASD during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2022 in a School for Special Needs in Malang City, East Java Province, Indonesia. The pediatric quality of life inventory (PedsQL) and Institutional and Family Support questionnaire were used to measure the HRQoL and support perceived by parents of children with ASD. We analyzed each component of the PedsQL and the Institutional and Family Support questionnaire. The independent T-test was performed to analyze the association between HRQoL and perceived support by parents of children with ASD. FINDINGS: The results showed that most participants (72.7%) were women aged 40. As many as 69.39% of participants had more than one child, and 16.33% declared they had other children who experienced the same problem (special needs children). This study indicated that the average health-related quality of life score in children with ASD was 57.41 (9.418). The finding of this study showed a significant mean difference in HRQoL scores in children with ASD who received high institutional and family support compared to those who had low (p = 0.028, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -11.071 to 0.664). CONCLUSION: Institutional support positively impacts children with ASD's quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to improve the adequacy of support felt by families while caring for children with ASD.

A narrative review into the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on senior high school adolescent mental health.

PROBLEM: High school teenagers are facing significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teenagers are at risk of experiencing physical, mental, and social health problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This narrative review aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the emergence of mental health problems in high school adolescents. METHODS: This study employed a narrative review method. We conducted a systematic search using PRISMA on three databases: Medline, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. A total of 40 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria set based on the research objectives. FINDINGS: The study uncovered that high school adolescents had an increased risk of experiencing mental health problems, namely psychological distress, worry, loneliness, anxiety, depression, traumatic symptoms, other psychological disorders, suicide risk, sleep disorders, and psychosocial functioning. Anxiety, depression, and psychological stress were the most discussed mental health problems among high school adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for efforts to identify health problems and intervene in mental health problems early in high school adolescents. Schools, mental health workers, and the government (e.g., policy stakeholders) need to implement the recommendations given as a follow-up effort for mental health services for high school youth.

What are the risk factors and protective factors of suicidal behavior in adolescents? A systematic review.

PROBLEM: Suicidal behavior is the third leading cause of death in adolescents in the world. Suicide behavior in adolescents can be prevented by recognizing risk factors and protective factors originating from themselves and the surrounding environment. This study aimed to identify risk factors and protective factors for adolescents who demonstrate suicidal behavior. METHODS: A systematic search in four databases, including ScienceDirect, EBSCO, Direct Open Access Journal, and ProQuest, was performed using the terms "suicide," "risk," and "adolescent." The search was limited to publications between 2015 and 2019. Articles were selected using PRISMA, a total of 66 articles were analyzed in the systematic review, all of which were quantitative studies. FINDINGS: Based on the synthesis results, it was found that internal risk factors, external risk factors, and protective factors for adolescents who demonstrate suicidal behavior. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that there are risk factors, both internal and external factors inhibiting suicide behavior in adolescents, which were rarely considered in the promotion and prevention effort of adolescent suicidal behavior.