SLIIT Conference and Symposium Proceedings
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All SLIIT faculties annually conduct international conferences and symposiums. Publications from these events are included in this collection.
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Publication Open Access Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Qualitative Study of Mothers’ Perspectives(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Liyanage, H; Fernando, TThe COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching global consequences, causing substantial changes in all aspects of daily life. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are highly sensitive to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study explores the impact of COVID-19 on children with ASD by focusing on qualitative data obtained from their mothers. The study aimed to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on children with ASD, the challenges mothers of children with ASD faced during COVID-19, and the coping mechanisms they have used. A purposive sample of 6 mothers of children with ASD who fulfil the requirements of the inclusion criteria were recruited. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth information. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Four major themes emerged: Pandemic’s influence on the social development of kids with ASD, ASD children’s psychological response to the pandemic, Motherhood struggles during the pandemic, and Adaptive responses to the challenges of COVID-19. The study findings indicate both positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on children with ASD, particularly affecting their social skills. Motherhood struggles and adaptive responses during the pandemic are also discussed. Further research is necessary to identify interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of COVID-19 on children with ASD.Publication Embargo Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Behavioural and Emotional adjustment and the Influence of Family Factors on Adjustment(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2022-09-15) Fernando, M.J.TChildren with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have unique characteristics, which are expected to have an impact on members of the family. However, research concerning the effects of ASD on family members has focused predominantly on ASD’s impact on parents and less on its impact on siblings, especially in the context of Sri Lanka. This research attempts to address this gap and advance the understanding of the Behavioral and Emotional (B&E) adjustment of siblings of children with ASD. The study utilized a quantitative research design using a sample of 80 mothers of children with ASD, selected using convenient sampling from hospitals and institutions located in the Colombo and Gampaha districts. Mothers completed a Demographic Questionnaire, Socio-Economic Status Questionnaire, Parental Stress Scale, and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. The study found that B&E adjustment of the majority of the siblings was within the ‘Normal’ range (54%), which shows that siblings were well adjusted behaviorally and emotionally. However, closer to half of the siblings (46%) either had a risk (i.e., scored within the ‘Borderline’ range) or were experiencing adjustment difficulties (i.e., scored within the ‘Abnormal’ range). When siblings were analyzed according to the domains of the SDQ, the majority scored within the ‘Borderline’ range for peer problems, which indicates that siblings are at risk for peer problems. Additionally, the study found that out of all the selected family factors, Maternal Stress due to rearing a child with ASD and ASD severity was positively associated with sibling B&E adjustment difficulties.