INFLUENCE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THERAPY DELIVERY FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD: PARENTAL EVALUATION OF PARTICIPATION, SIGNIFICANCE FOR FUNCTIONING AND SATISFACTION

Abstract

In our study, we wanted to determine how parents of children on the autistic spectrum, assessed their child's therapy during and before the pandemic. We tried to determine the children's participation in therapy, the change in frequency, the form and type of therapy, parental evaluation of competence and satisfaction with the therapy. For this purpose, we used a questionnaire. The results showed that almost all children participated in therapy during this period despite the limitations caused by the pandemic. However, the number of hours of therapy provided to children in institutions decreased, while that provided remotely increased. The effectiveness of the conducted therapies decreased compared to the time before the pandemic. The most negative changes in children's functioning occurred in the areas of social functioning, sensory and sensory integration. The results showed that the competence of the parents either increased or held at the same level, whilst their satisfaction in their child's therapy significantly decreased during the pandemic.