Symposia
Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders
Miriam Ortiz, B.S.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, Texas
Alexia Rattazzi, MD
Director
PANAACEA
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Cristiane Silvestre de Paula, PhD
Associate Professor
Developmental Disorder Program and Mackenzie Center for Research in Childhood and Adolescence, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, Sao Paulo, Brazil,
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Daniel Valdez, PhD
Professor
FLACSO
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Background: The pandemic and the social isolation had contributed to the worsening of internalizing behaviors in autistic individuals (Oomen et al., 2021). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with a high likelihood of comorbid disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety; Kirsch et al., 2020; Lever & Geurts, 2016), and extreme distress in response to changes in their routine (Oomen et al., 2021). Autistic adults living in Latin America are considered a more vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic (Holmes et al., 2020). Before the pandemic, around 84.4%-95 % of autistic adults received zero hours of services per week in this region (Torres et al, 2021). Overall, the nature of the autism symptoms, changes in daily life activities due to the pandemic as well as the lack of timely and adequate resources might result in a greater impact on the mental health of autistic adults in Latin America.
Method: This study aimed to explore the influence of COVID-19 on the quantity of service utilization and worsening of internalizing behaviors among autistic adults. Autistic adults completed an online survey in eight countries in Latin America (n=56), about their diagnosis, type of services used before and during lockdown, worsening of symptoms, and primary worries during the pandemic. Frequencies and central tendency analysis were calculated.
Results: findings indicated that 54.4% were males, more than half of the sample (71.4%%) had a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome, while 14.3% reported a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). During the pandemic, the most common reported used service was medication (26.%), with 41.8% of them maintaining the same plan. The least used services were speech therapy and sensory integration (1.8%). In addition, 21.4% suspended services during the pandemic. In terms of the increase of internalizing behaviors, 48.2% reported significant setbacks, an increase in their negative mood (57.1% ), and anxiety (62.5%) compared to pre pandemia.
Conclusion: For autistic adults living in Latin American countries, there was a significant increment in their internalizing behaviors (e.g. anxiety, mood, and regression) during the pandemic; as well as a decrease in service utilization and medication. Taking into account that autistic adults in this region were already an underserved and vulnerable population pre pandemia, findings highlight the systemic and individual barriers to accessing therapeutic services in Latin America, and at the same time sheds light on the way the pandemic had affected autistic adults in this region.