AUTHOR=Finlay Brittany , Seth Ashish , Currie Genevieve , Roth Christiane , Hudon Anne , Hunt Matthew , Lach Lucyna M. , Nicholas David B. , Shikako Keiko , Zwicker Jennifer D. 

TITLE=One size does not fit all: a qualitative exploration of the experiences of Canadian youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1637153

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1637153

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=IntroductionYouth with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to health and socioeconomic factors and system level disruption of essential supports. To date, few studies have engaged directly with youth with NDD to understand how they were been impacted by the pandemic. The aim of this study was to uncover experiences of youth with NDD during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsPurposive sampling was used to recruit Canadian youth (age 18–30, inclusive) with NDD. Participants were provided with the option of participating in a written (online) or verbal (Zoom) interview. Deductive coding and inductive analysis were used to develop themes.ResultsForty youth participated in an interview. We discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on participants in five key areas: education and academic performance, access to disability and healthcare services, social connectedness, participation in society, and mental health. Within these areas, both positive and negative experiences were reported. A secondary finding emerged related to the impact of gender identity on access to services.DiscussionOur study highlights the need for policy approaches that are flexible and responsive to the variability of needs among Canadian youth with NDD moving forward.