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COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Children with Developmental Disabilities: Service Disruption, Transition to Telehealth, and Child Wellbeing

Author

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  • Saijun Zhang

    (Department of Social Work, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA)

  • Ying Hao

    (Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA)

  • Yali Feng

    (Social Sciences, Health and Education Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA)

  • Na Youn Lee

    (Department of Social Work, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial service disruption and transition from in-person services to telehealth for children with developmental disabilities. However, there is limited knowledge about the specific dimensions and consequences of the disruption and transition. This study aims to examine the extent of service disruption and transition, the experiences of client children and their caregivers with telehealth vis-à-vis in-person services, and the impacts of the disruption and transition on child wellbeing. The cross-sectional study collected data from parents of children with developmental disabilities using an online survey. McNemar’s tests were used to compare service changes before and after the pandemic outbreak, and multivariate analyses were used to examine how service changes were associated with child wellbeing. Results show that more than two-thirds of the children experienced reduction in service amount, and one-third lost services for more than two months in about five months into the pandemic. While telehealth had comparable features relative to in-person services, it had lower ratings with respect to diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, and rapport building. Service disruption/transition and social isolation were associated with behavioral and emotional deterioration in children. However, child and family stress may have confounded these adverse effects. We concluded that the magnitude of service disruption and transition was large in the first half year after the pandemic outbreak, and the amount and duration of service loss varied substantially across clients. Diagnostic accuracy, treatment efficacy, and rapport building were areas in which parents had major concerns toward telehealth relative to in-person services. However, such drawbacks may partially be due to the limited logistics in telehealth implementation during the pandemic. Service disruption and transition seemed to contribute to family stress, which played a direct role in eroding child wellbeing. Implications of these findings for future research and practices are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Saijun Zhang & Ying Hao & Yali Feng & Na Youn Lee, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Children with Developmental Disabilities: Service Disruption, Transition to Telehealth, and Child Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3259-:d:768078
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Saijun Zhang & Meirong Liu & Yeefay Li & Jae Eun Chung, 2021. "Teens’ Social Media Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Time Series Examination of Posting and Emotion on Reddit," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Ying Hao & Saijun Zhang & Austin Conner & Na Youn Lee, 2021. "The Evolution of Telepractice Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologists," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Lee, Shawna J. & Ward, Kaitlin P. & Chang, Olivia D. & Downing, Kasey M., 2021. "Parenting activities and the transition to home-based education during the COVID-19 pandemic," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    4. Rubén López-Bueno & Guillermo F. López-Sánchez & Alejandro Gil-Salmerón & Igor Grabovac & Mark A. Tully & José Casaña & Lee Smith, 2021. "COVID-19 Confinement and Sexual Activity in Spain: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-9, March.
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