Celia Romero, Lauren Kupis, Zachary T Goodman, Bryce Dirks, Adriana Baez, Amy L Beaumont, Sandra M Cardona, Meaghan V Parlade, Michael Alessandri, Jason S Nomi, Lynn K Perry, Lucina Q Uddin
The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated depression, anxiety, and executive function (EF) difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). EF skills have been positively associated with mental health outcomes. Here, we probed the psychosocial impacts of pandemic responses in children with and without ASD by relating pre-pandemic EF assessments with anxiety and depression symptoms several months into the pandemic. We found that pre-pandemic inhibition and shifting difficulties, measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, predicted higher risk of anxiety symptoms...
December 1, 2023: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders