{"title":"Relationship between Childhood Disability or Developmental Delay and COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Families across the Canadian Maritime Provinces","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s10826-023-02779-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>This study examined the relationship between having a child with a disability or developmental delay and early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health in the Maritime provinces of Canada. This was a mixed method cross-sectional survey involving 256 primary caregivers of children with disabilities or developmental delays and 1720 primary caregivers of typically developing children aged 0–8 years. A <em>Family</em> access to resources and social support, parenting <em>Abilities</em> and self-care, and home <em>Routines</em> and <em>Environments</em> change scale (FARE Change Scale) was produced from the survey to assess the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health. Open-ended questions provided in-depth description of the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments. Pooled bivariate and multivariate regression coefficients revealed that having a child with a disability or developmental delay significantly decreased a caregiver’s score on the FARE Change Scale by 1.95. The open-ended questions were thematically analyzed. Caregivers of children with disabilities or developmental delays discussed positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on their family environments. Overall, the study findings indicate that the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health of children with disabilities or developmental delays were mixed and context-specific. The study findings inform the development of context-specific policies and programs to adequately support families of children with disabilities or developmental delays in public health crises similar to the pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":48362,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child and Family Studies","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Child and Family Studies","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02779-7","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"FAMILY STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between having a child with a disability or developmental delay and early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health in the Maritime provinces of Canada. This was a mixed method cross-sectional survey involving 256 primary caregivers of children with disabilities or developmental delays and 1720 primary caregivers of typically developing children aged 0–8 years. A Family access to resources and social support, parenting Abilities and self-care, and home Routines and Environments change scale (FARE Change Scale) was produced from the survey to assess the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health. Open-ended questions provided in-depth description of the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments. Pooled bivariate and multivariate regression coefficients revealed that having a child with a disability or developmental delay significantly decreased a caregiver’s score on the FARE Change Scale by 1.95. The open-ended questions were thematically analyzed. Caregivers of children with disabilities or developmental delays discussed positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on their family environments. Overall, the study findings indicate that the early impacts of the pandemic on family environments that influenced early childhood development and health of children with disabilities or developmental delays were mixed and context-specific. The study findings inform the development of context-specific policies and programs to adequately support families of children with disabilities or developmental delays in public health crises similar to the pandemic.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Child and Family Studies (JCFS) international, peer-reviewed forum for topical issues pertaining to the behavioral health and well-being of children, adolescents, and their families. Interdisciplinary and ecological in approach, the journal focuses on individual, family, and community contexts that influence child, youth, and family well-being and translates research results into practical applications for providers, program implementers, and policymakers. Original papers address applied and translational research, program evaluation, service delivery, and policy matters that affect child, youth, and family well-being. Topic areas include but are not limited to: enhancing child, youth/young adult, parent, caregiver, and/or family functioning; prevention and intervention related to social, emotional, or behavioral functioning in children, youth, and families; cumulative effects of risk and protective factors on behavioral health, development, and well-being; the effects both of exposure to adverse childhood events and assets/protective factors; child abuse and neglect, housing instability and homelessness, and related ecological factors influencing child and family outcomes.