COVID-19 has caused a public and international health emergency, leading to isolation and social distancing. These restrictions have had a significant impact on the caregivers of people with dementia, increasing the burden of patient management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress perceived by caregivers of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) during the pandemic. We used a cross-sectional survey design to evaluate the caregivers’ psychological responses and coping strategies. Eighty-four caregivers of patients with a diagnosis of AD were involved in this study by completing an online questionnaire. They presented a high perception of stress (the Perceived Stress Scale mean ± DS: 33.5 ± 4.5), and their high burden in caring was mainly related to physical difficulties (Caregiver Burden Inventory–Physical Burden mean ± DS: 15.0 ± 2.1) and perception of loss of time (Caregiver Burden Inventory–Time-dependence Burden mean ± DS: 16.5 ± 1,4). Moreover, caregivers perceived their quality of life as very low (Short Form-12 Health Survey Physical mean ± DS: 13.5 ± 2.7; Short Form-12 Health Survey Mental Health mean ± DS: 16.4 ± 4.2). Finally, we found that participants mostly used dysfunctional coping strategies, such as avoidance strategies (Coping Orientation to Problem Experiences–Avoidance Strategies mean ± DS: 39.5 ± 7.1), but these strategies did not affect the stress level of caregivers. Given that caregivers present a high burden and stress, innovative tools could be a valuable solution to investigate and support their emotional and behavioral status during difficult periods, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction. Learning disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors that alter brain functioning by affecting one or more cognitive processes related to learning. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of cognitive telerehabilitation in adolescents with learning disabilities to overcome the treatment problems related to the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown. Methods. Twenty‐four patients diagnosed with Unspecified Learning Disability (mean ± SD age: 18.2 ± 2.9 years; 50% male) were enrolled in this study. The patients were assessed by a neuropsychological evaluation at the beginning and at the end of the program. All patients received cognitive treatment via a specific telehealth app to stimulate the cognitive skills related to learning. The treatment lasted four weeks, with a daily training (lasting up to 60 min), for five days a week. Results. Our young patients reported a statistically significant improvement in the main cognitive domains that are usually compromised in learning disabilities, including sustained and selective attention, shifting of attention, control of interference, memory and speed of information processing. Moreover, the patients showed a good usability and motivation during the training. Conclusions. Our study has shown that telerehabilitation could be a valid tool for the rehabilitation of specific cognitive skills in adolescents with learning difficulties.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic implicated many social restrictions, including the use of distance learning (DL). Indeed, parents were obligated to support their children in online lessons and schoolwork. The aim of this study was to investigate the psycho-emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents and children submitted to DL. Methods: One hundred and ninety-two participants (96 parents and 96 children) were enrolled in this study. Parents and children completed an online questionnaire, structured in four sections. Results: The results showed that parents had higher levels of stress and anxiety. In particular, the stress for DL was positively correlated with depression and anxiety. Parents’ jobs were negatively correlated with their levels of anxiety and stress. On the other hand, children reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and event-related anxiety, which increased as children got older. The stress and the anxiety in parents were positively correlated with the mood depression and anxiety of their children. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the psychological well-being of children and parents who used DL. Although DL could be an alternative teaching method during pandemics, face-to-face teaching is fundamental and irreplaceable as it encourages dialogue, involvement, and human contact.

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