Scientific Reports (Mar 2022)

Quality of life of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 1-year follow-up study

  • Riyo Ueda,
  • Takashi Okada,
  • Yosuke Kita,
  • Masatoshi Ukezono,
  • Miki Takada,
  • Yuri Ozawa,
  • Hisami Inoue,
  • Mutsuki Shioda,
  • Yoshimi Kono,
  • Chika Kono,
  • Yukiko Nakamura,
  • Kaoru Amemiya,
  • Ai Ito,
  • Nobuko Sugiura,
  • Yuichiro Matsuoka,
  • Chinami Kaiga,
  • Yasuko Shiraki,
  • Masaya Kubota,
  • Hiroshi Ozawa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08273-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract This study aimed to reveal changes in the quality of life (QOL) of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents, and the interaction between their QOL and parental mental state during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Eighty-nine school-aged children and parents participated in surveys in May 2020 (T1) and May 2021 (T2). The parents completed questionnaires that assessed their QOL, depression, parenting stress, and living conditions. Children’s temporary mood status was evaluated using the self-reported visual analog scale (VAS). Children’s QOL and VAS at T2 were higher than their QOL at T1. Parents’ QOL at T2 was lower than their QOL at T1. Severe parental depression at T1 had a synergistic effect on severe parenting stress and severe depressive state at T2. Additionally, children’s high QOL at T1 had a synergistic effect on low parenting stress and children’s high QOL at T2. Furthermore, children’s low VAS scores and parents’ low QOL at T2 were associated with deterioration of family economic status. Children and parents’ QOL changed during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Improvement in children’s QOL was influenced by reduced maternal depressive symptoms. Public support for parental mental health is important to avoid decreasing QOL.