Journal Article

Predictors of Satisfaction with Autism Treatment Services During COVID-19

Feerst, Harrison, Ferguson, Emily F, Vernon, Ty W, Jimenez-Muñoz, Maria

2022

Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges and disruptions for autistic individuals receiving specialized treatment services. This caregiver-report survey study (n = 339) explored predictors of satisfaction with autism services during COVID-19 to improve perceived support for these families. Specifically, we investigated whether service delivery medium (telehealth vs. in person), child’s emotional functioning, and caregiver stress would predict satisfaction with the most highly utilized services. Satisfaction ratings for ABA/behavioral, speech/language, and occupational therapy were lower when delivered via telehealth as compared to in person. Caregivers who reported higher emotional dysregulation in their children were less satisfied with behavioral therapy services. These results provide a critical caregiver-informed perspective on factors influencing satisfaction with specialized autism services during COVID-19.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Anxiety / Anxiety Disorders / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic children / Behavior modification / Behavior Problems / Career and Technical Education / Caregiver burden / Caregivers / Children / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / Delivery Systems / Developmental Disabilities / Electronic Mail / Emotional Problems / Emotional regulation / Emotional well being / Emotions / Ethnicity / Families & family life / Family Environment / Gender / Interpersonal Competence / Medical technology / Medical treatment / Modeling (Psychology) / Occupational therapy / Pandemics / Parent Caregiver Relationship / Parents & parenting / Participant Satisfaction / Professional relationships / Psychotherapy / Satisfaction / Services / Speech therapy / Stress / Telecommunications / Telemedicine / Transgender persons