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Lorenzini JA, Wong-Parodi G, Garfin DR. Associations between mindfulness and mental health after collective trauma: results from a longitudinal, representative, probability-based survey. ANXIETY, STRESS, AND COPING 2024; 37:361-378. [PMID: 37885136 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2023.2267454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Trait mindfulness (TM) may protect against post-trauma mental health ailments and related impairment. Few studies have evaluated this association in the context of collective traumas using representative samples or longitudinal designs. DESIGN/METHOD We explored relationships between TM and collective trauma-related outcomes in a prospective, representative, probability-based sample of 1846 U.S. Gulf Coast residents repeatedly exposed to catastrophic hurricanes, assessed twice during the COVID-19 outbreak (Wave 1: 5/14/20-5/27/20; Wave 2: 12/21/21-1/11/22). Generalized estimating equations examined longitudinal relationships between TM, COVID-19-related fear/worry, hurricane-related fear/worry, global distress, and functional impairment; ordinary least squares regression analyses examined the cross-sectional association between TM and COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) at Wave 1. Event-related stressor exposure was explored as a moderator. RESULTS In covariate-adjusted models including pre-event mental health ailments and demographics, TM was negatively associated with COVID-19-related fear/worry, hurricane-related fear/worry, global distress, and functional impairment over time; in cross-sectional analyses, TM was negatively associated with COVID-19-related PTSS. TM moderated the relationship between COVID-19 secondary stressor exposure (e.g., lost job/wages) and both global distress and functional impairment over time. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest TM may buffer adverse psychosocial outcomes following collective trauma, with some evidence TM may protect against negative effects of secondary stressor exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Andrew Lorenzini
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Gabrielle Wong-Parodi
- Department of Earth Systems Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Social Sciences Division, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Dana Rose Garfin
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Ali A, Zafar R, Kumar KA, Shariq K, Motiani V, Ibrahim S, Farhat H. Application of tele-neuropsychology and tele-mental health before and during COVID-19 era: a bibliometric analysis. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2024; 86:2777-2785. [PMID: 38694297 PMCID: PMC11060194 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000001822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Telehealth use was previously limited by strict regulations and financial constraints. However, the pandemic prompted some countries to ease their telehealth laws. Thus, we conducted a bibliometric analysis and network visualization to gauge changes in tele-neuropsychology (Tele-NP) and tele-mental Health (Tele-MH) trends with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods The authors conducted a literature search on SCOPUS and included relevant articles pertaining to Tele-NP and Tele-MH, which were published before the COVID-19 pandemic (2017-2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022). The authors presented publication patterns on psychiatric disorders, mode of administration, journals, active countries, authors, affiliations, funding sponsors, keywords, publication, and citation output. Results Three hundred forty-one articles were included in our study with 80 articles before the pandemic and 261 during the pandemic. Our analysis revealed the greatest increase in publications and citations output was from the year 2020 to 2021. A greater number of journals published tele-NP and tele-MH-related research, with higher frequency, during the COVID-19 pandemic with Telemedicine and E-health leading the way. WHO regional analysis revealed that the Region of the Americas (AMRO) was the leading contributor in terms of publications. Harvard Medical Center remained the number one contributor both before and during the COVID-19- pandemic. Publications by funding sponsors, particularly by those that were US-based, increased twice as much during the pandemic. Conclusion The increase in research output following the COVID-19 outbreak reflects the growing interest and relevance of telemedicine for the delivery of mental health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraish Ali
- Department of Medicine, Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rameen Zafar
- Department of Medicine, Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Kainat Shariq
- Department of Medicine, Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Vanita Motiani
- Department of Internal Medicine, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI
| | | | - Hadi Farhat
- Department of Medicine, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
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Paiva JM, Dos Santos Melani M, Marques ESN, Arcosy CV, Coutinho ESF, Ventura P, Berger W. The efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder according to the mean age of patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2024; 29:683-697. [PMID: 38083873 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2023.2292478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (I-CBT) is effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, offering enhanced accessibility and cost-effectiveness. However, it's important to note that these technologies may not be suitable for all age groups. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine if the effectiveness of I-CBT in treating PTSD varies based on the patients' mean age. We conducted a systematic review of the literature, focusing on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the ISI Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases. Following this, we performed a meta-analysis and evaluated the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias quality assessment tool. In this study, we examined patient-related factors (civil or military status, age, and gender), clinical characteristics (baseline PTSD severity and type of trauma), and treatment characteristics (type of intervention, synchronous or asynchronous delivery, and the number of sessions) as independent variables. The dependent variable was the reduction in mean PTSD symptoms. Five RCTs out of 1,552 screened studies were included in this review, all of which showed some level of concern regarding potential bias. Our meta-analysis indicates that I-CBT is equally effective regardless of patients' mean age. Since all RCTs included only provide the mean age of the patients, further randomized controlled trials should address the effectiveness of I-CBT among different age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Meirelles Paiva
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marina Dos Santos Melani
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elisa Schoenche Nunes Marques
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cheyenne von Arcosy
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Paula Ventura
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - William Berger
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Muysewinkel E, Stene LE, Van Deynse H, Vesentini L, Bilsen J, Van Overmeire R. Post-what stress? A review of methods of research on posttraumatic stress during COVID-19. J Anxiety Disord 2024; 102:102829. [PMID: 38219397 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2024.102829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress (PTS) was extensively investigated during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, numerous researchers have raised concerns regarding the adherence of many of these studies to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). This review aimed to provide insight into the methodology of research on PTS during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Two independent reviewers examined a total of 1129 studies published between 1/01/2020 and 1/07/2023. The investigation focused on the scales employed to assess PTS, the diagnostic framework used (DSM or ICD), whether there was referral to an index-event in the PTS measurement and country where data collection took place. RESULTS Among the 1129 studies, 70.0% did not provide any indication of an index-event to which PTS symptoms were attributed. Only 11.3% of the studies explicitly indicated an index-event associated with the PTS symptoms. Furthermore, 54.1% of the studies utilized scales based on DSM-IV criteria. Finally, the majority of PTS-studies had data collections in China, United States and Italy. CONCLUSION A limited number of studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic reported use of an index-event in their PTS measurement. Furthermore, most studies used scales based on a previous iteration of the most used diagnostical system, namely the DSM. This delay in the implementation of new diagnostic criteria, may impair the clinical relevance of scientific studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Muysewinkel
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lise Eilin Stene
- Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1, 0484 Oslo, Norway
| | - Helena Van Deynse
- Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lara Vesentini
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Johan Bilsen
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Roel Van Overmeire
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Group, Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Gullhaugveien 1, 0484 Oslo, Norway.
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5
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Shibaoka A. Moral Injury Post-COVID-19: More Than Military? A Theological Perspective. THE JOURNAL OF PASTORAL CARE & COUNSELING : JPCC 2024; 78:5-15. [PMID: 38706201 DOI: 10.1177/15423050241247263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The author of this article considers moral distress theologically, as a potential shattering of core sustaining belief systems, hope, securities, self-identities, and organizing principles of one's existence. Shattering of individual moral expectations can occur in both medical and military moral injury.
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6
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Liu H, Tao TJ, Chan SKY, Ma JCH, Lau AYT, Yeung ETF, Hobfoll SE, Hou WK. Daily routine disruptions and psychiatric symptoms amid COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from 0.9 million individuals in 32 countries. BMC Med 2024; 22:49. [PMID: 38302921 PMCID: PMC10835995 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03253-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is currently a deficit of knowledge about how to define, quantify, and measure different aspects of daily routine disruptions amid large-scale disasters like COVID-19, and which psychiatric symptoms were more related to the disruptions. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the probable positive associations between daily routine disruptions and mental disorders amid the COVID-19 pandemic and factors that moderated the associations. METHODS PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and MEDLINE were systematically searched up to April 2023 (PROSPERO: CRD42023356846). Independent variables included regularity, change in frequency, and change in capability of different daily routines (i.e., physical activity, diet, sleep, social activities, leisure activities, work and studies, home activities, smoking, alcohol, combined multiple routines, unspecified generic routines). Dependent variables included symptoms and/or diagnoses of mental disorders (i.e., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and general psychological distress). RESULTS Fifty-three eligible studies (51 independent samples, 910,503 respondents) were conducted in five continents. Daily routine disruptions were positively associated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.13, 95% CI = [0.06; 0.20], p < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (r = 0.12, 95% CI = [0.06; 0.17], p < 0.001), and general psychological distress (r = 0.09, 95% CI = [0.02; 0.16], p = 0.02). The routine-symptom associations were significant for physical activity, eating, sleep, and smoking (i.e., type), routines that were defined and assessed on regularity and change in capability (i.e., definition and assessment), and routines that were not internet-based. While the positive associations remained consistent across different sociodemographics, they were stronger in geo-temporal contexts with greater pandemic severity, lower governmental economic support, and when the routine-symptom link was examined prospectively. CONCLUSIONS This is one of the first meta-analytic evidence to show the positive association between daily routine disruptions and symptoms of mental disorders among large populations as COVID-19 dynamically unfolded across different geo-temporal contexts. Our findings highlight the priority of behavioral adjustment for enhancing population mental health in future large-scale disasters like COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huinan Liu
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tiffany Junchen Tao
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Selina Kit Yi Chan
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jeremy Chi Him Ma
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Abby Yan Tung Lau
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ernest Tsun Fung Yeung
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stevan E Hobfoll
- STAR Consultants-STress, Anxiety and Resilience, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Wai Kai Hou
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po NT, 10 Lo Ping Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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7
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Marx BP, Hall-Clark B, Friedman MJ, Holtzheimer P, Schnurr PP. The PTSD Criterion A debate: A brief history, current status, and recommendations for moving forward. J Trauma Stress 2024; 37:5-15. [PMID: 38123526 DOI: 10.1002/jts.23007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Criterion A, also known as the "stressor criterion," has been a major source of debate ever since PTSD was added to the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980. Since then, the traumatic stress field has held an ongoing debate about how to best define Criterion A and the events that it covers. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent race-based incidents, the Criterion A debate has been reinvigorated. In this paper, we review briefly the history of Criterion A and changes in its language across different editions of the DSM. We then describe the four main positions held by scholars involved in the Criterion A debate and carefully examine the support for those positions. We conclude by offering recommendations for moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Marx
- National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brittany Hall-Clark
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- National Center for PTSD, Executive Division, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
| | - Matthew J Friedman
- National Center for PTSD, Executive Division, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, USA
| | - Paul Holtzheimer
- National Center for PTSD, Executive Division, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, USA
| | - Paula P Schnurr
- National Center for PTSD, Executive Division, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, USA
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Tao TJ, Li TW, Liang L, Liu H, Hou WK. Investigating the reciprocity between cognition and behavior in adaptation to large-scale disasters. NPJ MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2023; 2:21. [PMID: 38609531 PMCID: PMC10955933 DOI: 10.1038/s44184-023-00037-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Cognition and behavior could reciprocally impact each other and together determine mental health amid large-scale disasters such as COVID-19. This study reports a six-month cohort study of a population-representative sample of Hong Kong residents (N = 906) from March-August 2021 (T1) to September 2021-February 2022 (T2). Cross-lagged panel analyses reveal that T1 poor behavioral functioning as indicated by high daily routine disruptions is inversely associated with T2 cognitive adaptation as indicated by self-efficacy and meaning-making but not vice versa. T1 routine disruptions but not cognitive adaptation are positively associated with T2 probable depression/anxiety. The positive link between T1 routine disruptions and T2 probable disorders is mediated by poor cognitive adaptation at T2. The present findings suggest that upholding daily behavioral functioning relative to positive states of mind could have a more pivotal role in mental health amid large-scale disasters. Future studies can test interventions that enhance the sustainment of regular daily routines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Junchen Tao
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tsz Wai Li
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Li Liang
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huinan Liu
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wai Kai Hou
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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9
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Verveen A, Wynberg E, van Willigen HDG, Davidovich U, Lok A, Moll van Charante EP, de Jong MD, de Bree G, Prins M, Knoop H, Nieuwkerk PT. Mental health up to 12 months following SARS-CoV-2 infection: A prospective cohort study. J Psychosom Res 2023; 175:111520. [PMID: 37852167 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate to what extent individuals report clinically relevant levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and concentration problems up to 12 months following COVID-19 symptom onset, using validated questionnaires. METHODS RECoVERED, a prospective cohort study in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, enrolled both hospitalized and community-dwelling adult participants diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 1, 3, 6 and 12 months following illness onset. The DSM-V PTSD checklist was administered at month 3 and 9. Concentration problems were assessed using the Checklist Individual Strength concentration subscale at month 1 and 12. Generalized Estimating Equations were used to determine factors related with clinically relevant levels of depression-, anxiety- and PTSD-symptoms and concentration problems over time. RESULTS In 303 individuals, the prevalence of clinically relevant symptoms of depression, anxiety and concentration problems was 10.6% (95%CI = 7.2-15.4), 7.0% (95%CI = 4.4-11.2) and 33.6% (95%CI = 27.7-40.1), respectively, twelve months after infection. Nine months after illness onset, 4.2% (95%CI = 2.3-7.7) scored within the clinical range of PTSD. Risk factors for an increased likelihood of reporting mental health problems during follow up included initial severe/critical COVID-19, non-Dutch origin, psychological problems prior to COVID-19 and being infected during the first COVID-19 wave. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight that a minority of patients with COVID-19 face clinically relevant symptoms of depression, anxiety or PTSD up to 12 months after infection. The prevalence of concentration problems was high. This study contributes to the identification of specific groups for which support after initial illness is indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk Verveen
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Psychology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Elke Wynberg
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Infectious Diseases, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hugo D G van Willigen
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Infectious Diseases, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Prevention, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Udi Davidovich
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anja Lok
- Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Psychiatry, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eric P Moll van Charante
- Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Public & Occupational Health, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of General Practice, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Menno D de Jong
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Microbiology & Infection Prevention, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Godelieve de Bree
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Infectious Diseases, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Prins
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Infectious Diseases, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Knoop
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Psychology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pythia T Nieuwkerk
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Medical Psychology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Carmassi C, Sampogna G, Di Vincenzo M, Cipolla S, Toni C, Albert U, Carrà G, Cirulli F, Dell'Osso B, Fantasia S, Nanni MG, Pedrinelli V, Pompili M, Sani G, Tortorella A, Volpe U, Fiorillo A. Acute stress symptoms in general population during the first wave of COVID lockdown in Italy: Results from the COMET trial. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3314. [PMID: 37990771 PMCID: PMC10726770 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented traumatic event that has severely impacted social, economic, and health well-being worldwide. The COvid Mental hEalth Trial was specifically designed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its containment measures on the mental health of the Italian general population in terms of COVID-19-related acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms. METHODS The present cross-sectional study is based on an online survey carried out in the period March-May 2020. Italian general adult population was invited to compile an anonymous survey, which included the severity of acute stress symptoms scale/National Stressful Events Survey Short Scale to investigate the occurrence and severity of ASD symptoms. RESULTS The final sample consisted of 20,720 participants. During the lockdown, subjects with pre-existing mental health problems reported a statistically significant higher risk of acute post-traumatic symptoms compared to the general population (B: 2.57; 95% CI:2.04-3.09; p < .0001) and health care professionals (B: .37; 95% CI: .02-0.72; p < .05). According to multivariate regression models, the levels of acute post-traumatic symptoms (p < .0001) were higher in younger and female respondents. Social isolation and sleep disorder/insomnia represented positive predictors of acute stress (B = 3.32, 95% CI = 3.08-3.57). CONCLUSIONS Concerns about the risk of infection as well as social isolation caused a higher incidence of acute post-traumatic stress symptoms that may predict the subsequent development of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Gaia Sampogna
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Matteo Di Vincenzo
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Salvatore Cipolla
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Claudia Toni
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Umberto Albert
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health SciencesUniversity of Trieste and Department of Mental Health, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina–ASUGITriesteItaly
| | - Giuseppe Carrà
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryUniversity of Milan BicoccaMilanoItaly
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental HealthNational Institute of HealthRomeItaly
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences and Aldo Ravelli Center for Neurotechnology and Brain TherapeuticUniversity of MilanMilanoItaly
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sara Fantasia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Maria Giulia Nanni
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences and RehabilitationUniversity of FerraraFerraraItaly
| | | | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and PsychologySapienza University of RomeRomeItaly
| | - Gabriele Sani
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of PsychiatryUniversity Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRomeItaly
- Department of Neuroscience, Sensory organs and Thorax, Department of PsychiatryFondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCSRomeItaly
| | | | - Umberto Volpe
- Clinical Psychiatry UnitDepartment of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversità Politecnica delle MarcheAnconaItaly
| | - Andrea Fiorillo
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
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11
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Zacher M, Raker EJ, Meadows MC, Ramírez S, Woods T, Lowe SR. Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal study of Hurricane Katrina survivors. SSM - MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 3:100198. [PMID: 36844796 PMCID: PMC9940480 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
While the COVID-19 pandemic is known to have caused widespread mental health challenges, it remains unknown how the prevalence, presentation, and predictors of mental health adversity during the pandemic compare to other mass crises. We shed light on this question using longitudinal survey data (2003-2021) from 424 low-income mothers who were affected by both the pandemic and Hurricane Katrina, which struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005. The prevalence of elevated posttraumatic stress symptoms was similar 1-year into the pandemic (41.6%) as 1-year post-Katrina (41.9%), while elevated psychological distress was more prevalent 1-year into the pandemic (48.3%) than 1-year post-Katrina (37.2%). Adjusted logistic regression models showed that pandemic-related bereavement, fear or worry, lapsed medical care, and economic stressors predicted mental health adversity during the pandemic. Similar exposures were associated with mental health adversity post-Katrina. Findings underscore the continued need for pandemic-related mental health services and suggest that preventing traumatic or stressful exposures may reduce the mental health impacts of future mass crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Zacher
- Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Ethan J Raker
- Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marie-Claire Meadows
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Saúl Ramírez
- Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Tyler Woods
- Department of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Sarah R Lowe
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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12
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Popovich C, Grau AS, Shih CH, Chidiac NT, Zhou A, Wang X, Xie H. Changes in fear-associated learning task brain activation over the COVID-19 pandemic period: a preliminary longitudinal analysis. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1239697. [PMID: 38076693 PMCID: PMC10699136 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1239697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts on people worldwide. Previous studies have shown that fear learning, extinction, recall, and contextual information processing involve the activation of emotion and sensory brain systems, which can be modified. However, it remains unclear whether brain functions associated with these processes have been altered over the pandemic period. Methods We compared pre- and peri-pandemic brain activation during a fear-associated learning task (FALT) using previously collected data. The participants were divided into two groups: the pandemic group (n = 16), who completed a baseline FALT before the pandemic and repeated the task during the pandemic, and the non-pandemic group (n = 77), who completed both sessions before the pandemic began. Results Compared with the non-pandemic group, the pandemic group exhibited significant decreases in brain activation from baseline to follow-up assessments, including activation in the brainstem during early fear learning, the posterior thalamus/hippocampus during late extinction, and the occipital pole during late recall phases for contextual processing. Furthermore, activations associated with retrieving safety cues were reduced in the posterior cingulate, premotor, and calcarine cortices during the early recall phase, and activations associated with retrieving dangerous cues decreased in the occipital pole during the late recall phase. Additionally, correlations between decreased activation and elevated posttraumatic stress symptoms were observed. Conclusion These findings suggest that activations associated with processing low arousal contextual information, safety cues, and extinguished fear cues decreased during the pandemic. These changes in brain activation may have contributed to the increase in mental health disturbances observed during this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Popovich
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Aaron S. Grau
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Chia-Hao Shih
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Neejad T. Chidiac
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Adrian Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - Hong Xie
- Department of Neurosciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
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13
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Schäfer SK, Fritz J, Sopp MR, Kunzler AM, von Boros L, Tüscher O, Göritz AS, Lieb K, Michael T. Interrelations of resilience factors and their incremental impact for mental health: insights from network modeling using a prospective study across seven timepoints. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:328. [PMID: 37872216 PMCID: PMC10593776 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02603-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Resilience can be viewed as trajectory of stable good mental health or the quick recovery of mental health during or after stressor exposure. Resilience factors (RFs) are psychological resources that buffer the potentially negative effects of stress on mental health. A problem of resilience research is the large number of conceptually overlapping RFs complicating their understanding. The current study sheds light on the interrelations of RFs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic as a use case for major disruptions. The non-preregistered prospective study assessed a sample of 1275 German-speaking people from February 2020 to March 2021 at seven timepoints. We measured coping, hardiness, control beliefs, optimism, self-efficacy, sense of coherence (SOC), sense of mastery, social support and dispositional resilience as RFs in February 2020, and mental health (i.e., psychopathological symptoms, COVID-19-related rumination, stress-related growth) at all timepoints. Analyses used partial correlation network models and latent growth mixture modeling (LGMM). Pre-pandemic RFs were strongly interrelated, with SOC being the most central node. The strongest associations emerged between coping using emotional support and social support, SOC and sense of mastery, and dispositional resilience and self-efficacy. SOC and active coping were negatively linked. When we examined RFs as predictors of mental health trajectories, SOC was the strongest predictor of psychopathological symptoms and rumination, while trajectories of stress-related growth were predicted by optimism. Subsequent network analyses, including individual intercepts and slopes from LGMM, showed that RFs had small to moderate associations with intercepts but were unrelated to slopes. Our findings provide evidence for SOC playing an important role in mental distress and suggest further examining SOC's incremental validity. However, our results also propose that RFs might be more important for stable levels of mental health than for adaptation processes over time. The differential associations for negative and positive outcomes support the use of multidimensional outcomes in resilience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Schäfer
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Psychodiagnostics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jessica Fritz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - M Roxanne Sopp
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Angela M Kunzler
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Evidence in Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lisa von Boros
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Mainz, Germany
| | - Anja S Göritz
- Behavioral Health Technology, Augsburg University, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Lieb
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tanja Michael
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany.
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14
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Jensen P, Madsen C, Hauge LJ, Gustavson K, Lund IO, Pettersen JH, Knudsen AKS, Reneflot A, Brandlistuen RE, Valdimarsdóttir UA, Ask H, Nesvåg R. Contact with primary care physicians among adults with pre-existing common mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic: a registry-based study from Norway. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1085. [PMID: 37821874 PMCID: PMC10568894 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10108-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with pre-existing mental health problems may have experienced additional stress, which could worsen symptoms or trigger relapse. Thus, this study aimed to investigate if the number of consultations with general practitioners (GPs) among individuals with a pre-existing common mental health problem during the pandemic differed from pre-pandemic years. METHODS Data on consultations with GPs among 18-65-year-olds registered with common mental health problems in 2017-2021 were retrieved from the Norwegian Control and Payment of Health Reimbursements Database. Based on data from the pre-pandemic years (2017-2019), we predicted the number of consultations per week for depression, anxiety disorder, phobia/obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders during the pandemic (March 2020-December 2021) among individuals with pre-existing mental health problems. The forecasted and observed trends in GP consultations per week during the pandemic were stratified by diagnosis, gender, and age groups. RESULTS The observed number of consultations for anxiety disorder, PTSD, and eating disorders were significantly higher than forecasted during extended periods of the two pandemic years. The differences were largest for PTSD (on average 37% higher in men and 47% higher in women during the pandemic), and for eating disorders among women (on average 87% higher during the pandemic). There were only minor differences between the predicted and observed number of consultations for depression and phobia/OCD. CONCLUSIONS During the pandemic, individuals with a recent history of mental health problems were more likely to seek help for anxiety disorder, PTSD, and eating disorders, as compared to pre-pandemic years.
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Grants
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #324620 Norges Forskningsråd
- #105668, #138929, #156298 NordForsk
- #105668, #138929, #156298 NordForsk
- #105668, #138929, #156298 NordForsk
- #105668, #138929, #156298 NordForsk
- #105668, #138929, #156298 NordForsk
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI)
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Jensen
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Christian Madsen
- Department of Disease Burden, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lars Johan Hauge
- Department of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristin Gustavson
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingunn Olea Lund
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Johanne Hagen Pettersen
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Anne Reneflot
- Department of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Helga Ask
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ragnar Nesvåg
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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15
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Havermans DCD, Hoeboer CM, Sobczak S, Primasari I, Coimbra BM, Hovnanyan A, Novakovic IZ, Langevin R, Aakvaag HF, Grace E, Dragan M, Lueger-Schuster B, El-Hage W, Olff M. The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and exposure to other potentially traumatic events up to old age. J Trauma Stress 2023; 36:738-749. [PMID: 37218466 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
We investigated whether the impact of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) on trauma-related symptoms changes across the transitional adult lifespan (i.e., 16-100 years old) and if this association differs for self-reported COVID-19-related PTEs compared to other PTEs. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 7,034 participants from 88 countries between late April and October 2020. Participants completed the Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS), a self-report questionnaire assessing trauma-related symptoms. Data were analyzed using linear and logistic regression analyses and general linear models. We found that older age was associated with lower GPS total symptom scores, B = -0.02, p < .001; this association remained significant but was substantially weaker for self-reported COVID-19-related PTEs compared to other PTEs, B = 0.02, p = .009. The results suggest an association between older age and lower ratings of trauma-related symptoms on the GPS, indicating a blunted symptom presentation. This age-related trend was smaller for self-reported COVID-19-related PTEs compared to other PTEs, reflecting the relatively higher impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demi C D Havermans
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- TanteLouise, Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands
| | - Chris M Hoeboer
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjacko Sobczak
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Mondriaan Mental Health Center, Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Mondriaan Mental Health Center, Heerlen, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Indira Primasari
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Bruno M Coimbra
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ani Hovnanyan
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Irina Zrnic Novakovic
- Lab for Psychotraumatology, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Rachel Langevin
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Helene F Aakvaag
- Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emma Grace
- Department of International Psychology, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Brigitte Lueger-Schuster
- Lab for Psychotraumatology, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Wissam El-Hage
- UMR 1253, IBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France
| | - Miranda Olff
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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16
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Polizzi CP, Sleight FG, Aksen DE, McDonald CW, Lynn SJ. Mindfulness and COVID-19-Related Stress: Staying Present During Uncertain Times. Mindfulness (N Y) 2023; 14:1135-1147. [PMID: 37304660 PMCID: PMC10150345 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-023-02132-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Objectives The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is recognized as a mass traumatic event in which COVID-19-related stress (CS) can indicate other trauma- and/or stressor-related disorder. The facets of mindfulness (observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreacting) have been linked to reductions in stress-related symptoms and thus may protect against CS. We extended previous research by evaluating mindfulness facets as resilience skills negatively related to CS. Method Undergraduate students (n = 495) completed an online battery of questionnaires. A subsample of students endorsing clinically elevated CS (n = 165) was also evaluated. We utilized hierarchical regression to account statistically for the mindfulness facets in addition to indicators of psychological distress (e.g., negative affect, neuroticism, dissociation) and social desirability. We performed analyses twice, once in the overall sample, and once in the high CS subsample. Results Less observing and greater nonjudging related to reduced CS while other study variables were controlled for in the overall sample. In contrast, acting with awareness and nonjudging negatively related to CS in the subsample, but were not related to CS when we accounted for psychological-distress variables that positively related to CS in the analysis. Conclusions Although variables indicative of psychological distress robustly contribute to CS, observing, acting with awareness, and nonjudging may be mindfulness skills that can be targeted to buffer clinically significant CS. Preregistration This study was not pre-registered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig P. Polizzi
- Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, 150 S Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02130 USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
| | - Fiona G. Sleight
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, USA
| | - Damla E. Aksen
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, USA
| | | | - Steven Jay Lynn
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, USA
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17
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Hope's relationship with resilience and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Curr Opin Psychol 2023; 50:101559. [PMID: 36812769 PMCID: PMC9886565 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected individuals financially, physically, and mentally during the past couple of years. Recent research has indicated that mental health concerns such as stress, anxiety, and depression have been on the rise due to the pandemic and its consequences. Fortunately, resilience factors such as hope have also been examined in the midst of the pandemic. Hope has been found to be a buffer against stress, anxiety, and depression over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hope has also been associated with positive outcomes such as posttraumatic growth and well-being. These results have been investigated in populations particularly affected by the pandemic such as healthcare professionals and patients with chronic illness and cross-culturally.
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18
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Ali AM, Al-Dossary SA, Almarwani AM, Atout M, Al-Amer R, Alkhamees AA. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised: Examining Its Cutoff Scores among Arab Psychiatric Patients and Healthy Adults within the Context of COVID-19 as a Collective Traumatic Event. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11060892. [PMID: 36981549 PMCID: PMC10048280 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11060892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) is the most popular measure of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has been recently validated in Arabic. This instrumental study aimed to determine optimal cutoff scores of the IES-R and its determined six subscales in Arab samples of psychiatric patients (N = 168, 70.8% females) and healthy adults (N = 992, 62.7% females) from Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic as a probable ongoing collective traumatic event. Based on a cutoff score of 14 of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 8-items (DASS-8), receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis revealed two optimal points of 39.5 and 30.5 for the IES-R in the samples (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.86 & 0.91, p values = 0.001, 95% CI: 0.80-0.92 & 0.87-0.94, sensitivity = 0.85 & 0.87, specificity = 0.73 & 0.83, Youden index = 0.58 & 0.70, respectively). Different cutoffs were detected for the six subscales of the IES-R, with numbing and avoidance expressing the lowest predictivity for distress. Meanwhile, hyperarousal followed by pandemic-related irritability expressed a stronger predictive capacity for distress than all subscales in both samples. In path analysis, pandemic-related irritability/dysphoric mood evolved as a direct and indirect effect of key PTSD symptoms (intrusion, hyperarousal, and numbing). The irritability dimension of the IES-R directly predicted the traumatic symptoms of sleep disturbance in both samples while sleep disturbance did not predict irritability. The findings suggest the usefulness of the IES-R at a score of 30.5 for detecting adults prone to trauma related distress, with higher scores needed for screening in psychiatric patients. Various PTSD symptoms may induce dysphoric mood, which represents a considerable burden that may induce circadian misalignment and more noxious psychiatric problems/co-morbidities (e.g., sleep disturbance) in both healthy and diseased groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Mohammed Ali
- Department of Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21527, Egypt
| | - Saeed A Al-Dossary
- Department of Psychology, College of Education, University of Ha'il, Ha'il 55476, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Mofdy Almarwani
- Department of Psychiatric Nursing, College of Nursing, Taibah Univesity, Janadah Bin Umayyah Road, Tayba, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maha Atout
- School of Nursing, Philadelphia University, Amman 19392, Jordan
| | - Rasmieh Al-Amer
- Faculty of Nursing, Isra University, Amman 11953, Jordan
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Abdulmajeed A Alkhamees
- Department of Medicine, Unayzah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Unayzah 52571, Saudi Arabia
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19
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Tu AK, Restivo Haney J, O'Neill K, Swaminathan A, Choi KW, Lee H, Smoller JW, Patel V, Barreira PJ, Liu CH, Naslund JA. Post-traumatic growth in PhD students during the COVID-19 pandemic. PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:100104. [PMID: 36743383 PMCID: PMC9886426 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycom.2023.100104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, graduate students have faced increased risk of mental health challenges. Research suggests that experiencing adversity may induce positive psychological changes, called post-traumatic growth (PTG). These changes can include improved relationships with others, perceptions of oneself, and enjoyment of life. Few existing studies have explored this phenomenon among graduate students. This secondary data analysis of a survey conducted in November 2020 among graduate students at a private R1 University in the northeast United States examined graduate students' levels and correlates of PTG during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students had a low level of PTG, with a mean score of 10.31 out of 50. Linear regression models showed significant positive relationships between anxiety and PTG and between a measure of self-reported impact of the pandemic and PTG. Non-White minorities also had significantly greater PTG than White participants. Experiencing more negative impact due to the pandemic and ruminating about the pandemic were correlated with greater PTG. These findings advance research on the patterns of PTG during the COVID-19 pandemic and can inform future studies of graduate students' coping mechanisms and support efforts to promote pandemic recovery and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison K. Tu
- Harvard College, 86 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Juliana Restivo Haney
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA,Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Kathryn O'Neill
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Akshay Swaminathan
- Stanford University, School of Medicine, 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Karmel W. Choi
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hyunjoon Lee
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jordan W. Smoller
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Vikram Patel
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA,Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Paul J. Barreira
- Office of the Provost and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Cindy H. Liu
- Departments of Pediatric Newborn Medicine and Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA,Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - John A. Naslund
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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20
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Gesi C, Cirnigliaro G, Achilli F, Cerioli M, Cafaro R, Boscacci M, Dell’Osso B. The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic First Wave on Healthcare Workers: A New Perspective from Qualifying PTSD Criterion A to Assessing Post-Traumatic Growth. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12051862. [PMID: 36902649 PMCID: PMC10003652 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12051862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic growth (PTG) and specific traumatic events have been poorly explored in the literature focusing on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among healthcare workers (HWs) tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. In a large sample of Italian HWs, we investigated the kinds of traumatic events and whether PTG affects the risk of PTSD, along with its prevalence and features, during the first COVID-19 wave. COVID-19-related stressful events, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and PTG Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF) scores were collected through an online survey. Out of 930 HWs included in the final sample, 257 (27.6%) received a provisional PTSD diagnosis based on IES-R scores. Events referring to the overall pandemic (40%) and to a threat to a family member (31%) were reported as the most stressful events. Female sex, previous mental disorders, job seniority, unusual exposure to sufferance and experiencing a threat to one's family significantly increased the provisional PTSD diagnosis' risk, while being a physician, the availability of personal protective equipment and moderate/greater scores on the PTGI-SF spiritual change domain were found to be protective factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Gesi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Cirnigliaro
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0239042904
| | - Francesco Achilli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Cerioli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Rita Cafaro
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Boscacci
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell’Osso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, Department of Psychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Bipolar Disorders Clinic, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- CRC “Aldo Ravelli” for Neurotechnology & Experimental Brain Therapeutics, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Centro per lo Studio dei Meccanismi Molecolari alla Base delle Patologie Neuro-Psico-Geriatriche, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
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21
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Tao TJ, Liang L, Liu H, Hobfoll SE, Hou WK, Bonanno GA. The interrelations between psychological outcome trajectories and resource changes amid large-scale disasters: A growth mixture modeling analysis. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:57. [PMID: 36792591 PMCID: PMC9930711 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02350-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently little is known about the interrelations between changes in psychiatric symptoms and changes in resources (personal, social, financial) amid large-scale disasters. This study investigated trajectories of psychiatric symptoms and their relationships with different patterns of changes in personal, social, and financial resources between 2020 and 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A population-representative sample (N = 1333) was recruited to complete self-report instruments at the pandemic's acute phase (February-July 2020, T1), and again at 1-year (March-August 2021, T2) and 1.5-year (September 2021-February 2022, T3) follow-ups. Respondents reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, self-efficacy, perceived social support, and financial capacity. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) identified four trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms: resilience (72.39-74.19%), recovery (8.40-11.93%), delayed distress (7.20-7.35%), and chronic distress (8.33-10.20%). Four patterns were demonstrated in resource changes: persistent high resources (40.89-47.64%), resource gain (12.08-15.60%), resource loss (6.30-10.43%), and persistent low resources (28.73-36.61%). Loss and gain in financial resources characterized chronic distress and resilience, respectively. Loss in personal resources characterized delayed distress, whereas loss or no gain in social resources was related to chronic/delayed distress. Respondents in resilience were also more likely to have persistent high resources while those with delayed/chronic distress were more likely to have persistent low resources. These results provide an initial evidence base for advancing current understanding on trajectories of resilience and psychopathology in the context of resource changes during and after large-scale disasters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Junchen Tao
- grid.419993.f0000 0004 1799 6254Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Li Liang
- grid.419993.f0000 0004 1799 6254Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China ,grid.194645.b0000000121742757Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huinan Liu
- grid.419993.f0000 0004 1799 6254Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China ,grid.419993.f0000 0004 1799 6254Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stevan E. Hobfoll
- STAR Consultants-STress, Anxiety and Resilience, Salt Lake City, UT USA
| | - Wai Kai Hou
- Centre for Psychosocial Health, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - George A. Bonanno
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA
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22
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Tsai J, Grace A, North CS, Pietrzak RH, Vazquez M, Kurian A. City-wide study of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases in San Antonio: An investigation of stressful events accompanying infection and their relation to psychosocial functioning. Psychiatry Res 2023; 320:115012. [PMID: 36565515 PMCID: PMC9762912 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.115012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about how Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection is associated with stressful events (SEs) and stress-related psychological symptoms. This study examined the prevalence of SEs and incidence of stress-related symptoms accompanying COVID-19 infection. The association between these stress-related symptoms and psychosocial functioning were also examined. A city-wide sample of 3,595 adults with lab-informed cases of COVID-19 infection in San Antonio, Texas completed an online assessment of their psychological health and well-being after completing contact tracing activities in 2021-2022. A total 88.3% of participants reported exposure to SEs related to COVID-19 infection and their "worst" SEs were related to physical symptoms, fear of infecting others, financial problems, being isolated/quarantined, and loss of a loved one. Based on these SEs, 14.8% of the sample screened positive for substantial stress-related psychological problems related to COVID-19 infection. These psychological symptoms were strongly associated with worse psychosocial functioning. Together, these findings suggest SEs were commonly experienced by adults infected with COVID-19. Only a relatively small proportion reported substantial psychological symptoms related to their infection, but those who did had a high likelihood of impaired psychosocial functioning. Targeted support for individuals at high-risk of psychological symptoms following COVID-19 infection may help mitigate long-term psychological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Tsai
- School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; National Center on Homelessness among Veterans, Homeless Programs Office, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Abigail Grace
- School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Carol S. North
- Metrocare Services and Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Robert H. Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA,Clinical Neurosciences Division, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marilu Vazquez
- School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anita Kurian
- San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, City of San Antonio, TX, USA
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23
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Vujanovic AA, Kauffman BY, Zegel M, Zvolensky MJ. COVID-related stress and substance use: examining the role of sleep disturbance. Cogn Behav Ther 2022; 51:486-502. [PMID: 35762877 PMCID: PMC9764365 DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2022.2079557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The current investigation employed a cross-sectional design to evaluate the associations of COVID-19 stress, sleep disturbance, and substance use among a national sample of 143 adults (57.3% male, Mage = 38.5 years, SD = 11.28), surveyed at a single time-point using Amazon's MTurk platform. We hypothesized that COVID-19-related stress would be indirectly related to substance use outcomes (i.e. number of substance classes used daily, number of alcoholic drinks per occasion, substance use coping motives; but not substance use enhancement motives) through sleep disturbance severity. As expected, results indicated that the models examining indirect effects were statistically significant for number of substance classes used daily and substance use coping motives. However, there was no evidence that sleep disturbance explained the relation between COVID-19-related stress and number of alcoholic drinks per occasion or substance use enhancement motives. These findings underscore the importance of sleep disturbance in efforts to better understand how COVID-19-related stress is associated with certain types of substance use behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michael J. Zvolensky
- University of Houston
- HEALTH Institute
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
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24
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Carmassi C, Tosato S, Bertelloni CA, Pedrinelli V, Cappelli A, Abbate-Daga G, Albert U, Castellini G, Luciano M, Menchetti M, Pompili M, Sampogna G, Signorelli MS, Massimetti G, Fiorillo A. PTSD trajectories across different mental disorders in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: a naturalistic, longitudinal, multicenter study. Int Rev Psychiatry 2022; 34:797-808. [PMID: 36546718 DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2022.2145184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The potentially traumatic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in subjects with pre-existing mental disorders is still unclear, especially regarding its long-term consequences. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in patients with mental disorders, during the 3rd wave of the infection (T0, March-April 2021) while strict containment measures were applied in Italy, and after 3 months (T1, June-July 2021), with reduced restrictive measures. A total sample of 527 subjects, with different DSM-5 diagnoses, was consecutively enrolled at nine Italian psychiatric outpatient services. Assessments at T0 included: the Trauma and Loss Spectrum-Self Report (TALS-SR), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). These two latter were repeated at T1. Results showed that at T0, 43.6% of the sample reported symptoms of PTSD, with females (p = .004), younger subjects (p = .011), unemployed/students (p = .011), and living with their parental families (p = .017), resulting more affected. Differences in PTSD rates emerged across diagnostic groups ranging from 10% in patients with psychoses up to 59% in those with feeding and eating disorders. An improvement at T1 emerged in all diagnostic groups for the IES-R scores, while WSAS scores improved only in subjects with mood disorders. In conclusions, subjects with mental disorders presented relevant rates of PTSD and PTSS at 1-year into the pandemic. Further long-term studies are needed to follow-up the course of pandemic traumatic burden especially in patients with severe mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sarah Tosato
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Virginia Pedrinelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Cappelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Abbate-Daga
- Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Albert
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste and Department of Mental Health, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano Isontina - ASUGI, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Mario Luciano
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Marco Menchetti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sense Organs, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Gaia Sampogna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Salvina Signorelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Gabriele Massimetti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Fiorillo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy
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25
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Reffi AN, Drake CL, Kalmbach DA, Jovanovic T, Norrholm SD, Roth T, Casement MD, Cheng P. Pre-pandemic sleep reactivity prospectively predicts distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: The protective effect of insomnia treatment. J Sleep Res 2022; 32:e13709. [PMID: 36053867 PMCID: PMC9537903 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a rare stressor that has precipitated an accompanying mental health crisis. Prospective studies traversing the pandemic's onset can elucidate how pre-existing disease vulnerabilities augured risk for later stress-related morbidity. We examined how pre-pandemic sleep reactivity predicted maladaptive stress reactions and depressive symptoms in response to, and during, the pandemic. This study is a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial from 2016 to 2017 comparing digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (dCBT-I) against sleep education (N = 208). Thus, we also assessed whether dCBT-I moderated the association between pre-pandemic sleep reactivity and pandemic-related distress. Pre-pandemic sleep reactivity was measured at baseline using the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test. In April 2020, participants were recontacted to report pandemic-related distress (stress reactions and depression). Controlling for the treatment condition and the degree of COVID-19 impact, higher pre-pandemic sleep reactivity predicted more stress reactions (β = 0.13, ± 0.07 SE, p = 0.045) and depression (β = 0.22, ± 0.07 SE, p = 0.001) during the pandemic. Further, the odds of reporting clinically significant stress reactions and depression during the pandemic were over twice as high in those with high pre-pandemic sleep reactivity. Notably, receiving dCBT-I in 2016-2017 mitigated the relationship between pre-pandemic sleep reactivity and later stress reactions (but not depression). Pre-pandemic sleep reactivity predicted psychological distress 3-4 years later during the COVID-19 pandemic, and dCBT-I attenuated its association with stress reactions, specifically. Sleep reactivity may inform prevention and treatment efforts by identifying individuals at risk of impairment following stressful events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony N. Reffi
- Sleep Disorders & Research CenterHenry Ford Health SystemDetroitMichiganUSA
| | | | - David A. Kalmbach
- Sleep Disorders & Research CenterHenry Ford Health SystemDetroitMichiganUSA
| | - Tanja Jovanovic
- Neuroscience Center for Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma (NeuroCAST), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral NeurosciencesWayne State University School of MedicineDetroitMichiganUSA
| | - Seth D. Norrholm
- Neuroscience Center for Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma (NeuroCAST), Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral NeurosciencesWayne State University School of MedicineDetroitMichiganUSA
| | - Thomas Roth
- Sleep Disorders & Research CenterHenry Ford Health SystemDetroitMichiganUSA
| | | | - Philip Cheng
- Sleep Disorders & Research CenterHenry Ford Health SystemDetroitMichiganUSA
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26
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Gama CMF, de Souza Junior S, Gonçalves RM, Santos EDC, Machado AV, Portugal LCL, Passos RBF, Erthal FS, Vilete LMP, Mendlowicz MV, Berger W, Volchan E, de Oliveira L, Pereira MG. Tonic immobility is associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in healthcare professionals exposed to COVID-19-related trauma. J Anxiety Disord 2022; 90:102604. [PMID: 35917747 PMCID: PMC9272678 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2022.102604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed healthcare workers (HCW) to traumatic situations that might lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An important vulnerability factor for PTSD is the peritraumatic tonic immobility (TI) reaction, an involuntary and reflexive defensive response evoked by an intense and inescapable threat. TI is largely understudied in humans and has not been investigated during trauma related to COVID-19. For HCW, the pandemic context might be experienced as an intense and potentially inescapable threat, i.e., an overwhelming situation. Here, we investigated if TI response occurred during traumatic events related to the pandemic and its association with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). An online survey of 1001 HCW investigated COVID-19-related traumatic experiences, TI and PTSS. TI was reported for all types of traumatic events, and multivariate regression models revealed that TI was significantly associated with PTSS severity. HCW who reported high TI scores exhibited an increase of 9.08 times the probability of having a probable diagnosis of PTSD. Thus, TI was evoked by pandemic-related traumatic situations and associated with PTSS severity and higher odds of a PTSD diagnosis. Tonic immobility occurrence should be screened, and psychoeducation about its reflexive biological nature should be introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Monteiro Fabricio Gama
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Sérgio de Souza Junior
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Raquel Menezes Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Emmanuele da Conceição Santos
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Arthur Viana Machado
- Laboratório de Psicofisiologia Cognitiva, de Ciencias da NaturezaDepartamento de Ciências da Natureza, Instituto de Humanidades e Saúde, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Recife s/no Jardim Bela Vista, 28890-000 Rio das Ostras, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Liana Catarina Lima Portugal
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Centro Biomédico, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Professor Manuel de Abreu 444, 5º andar, Vila Isabel, 20550-170 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Roberta Benitez Freitas Passos
- Departamento de Medicina Geral, Escola de Medicina e Cirurgia, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Mariz e Barros 775, 7a. enfermaria, Maracanã, 20270-004 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Fátima Smith Erthal
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Bloco G, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão 21949-900, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Liliane Maria Pereira Vilete
- Instituto de Psiquiatria da UFRJ, Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Venceslau Brás, 71, Fundos, Botafogo, 22290140 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Instituto de Psiquiatria da UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Venceslau Brás, 71, Fundos, Botafogo, 22290140 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Mauro Vitor Mendlowicz
- Instituto de Psiquiatria da UFRJ, Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Venceslau Brás, 71, Fundos, Botafogo, 22290140 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Avenida Marquês de Paraná, 303, prédio anexo, 3º andar, Centro, 24030-215 Niteroi, RJ, Brazil.
| | - William Berger
- Instituto de Psiquiatria da UFRJ, Departamento de Psiquiatria e Saúde Mental, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Venceslau Brás, 71, Fundos, Botafogo, 22290140 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Eliane Volchan
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Bloco G, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão 21949-900, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Leticia de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Mirtes Garcia Pereira
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia do Comportamento (LabNeC), Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Instituto Biomédico, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Hernani Pires de Mello, 101, São Domingos, 24210-130 Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
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27
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Lewis C, Lewis K, Roberts A, Evison C, Edwards B, John A, Lloyd K, Pearce H, Poole R, Richards N, Robinson C, Jones I, Bisson JI. COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress disorder in adults with lived experience of psychiatric disorder. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:564-572. [PMID: 35536094 PMCID: PMC9348441 DOI: 10.1002/da.23262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prevalence estimates of COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have ranged from 1% to over 60% in the general population. Individuals with lived experience of a psychiatric disorder may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19-related PTSD but this has received inadequate attention. METHODS Participants were 1571 adults with lived experience of psychiatric disorder who took part in a longitudinal study of mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. PTSD was assessed by the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) anchored to the participant's most troubling COVID-19-related experiencevent. Factors hypothesised to be associated with traumatic stress symptoms were investigated by linear regression. RESULTS 40.10% of participants perceived some aspect of the pandemic as traumatic. 5.28% reported an ICD-11 PTSD qualifying COVID-19 related traumatic exposure and 0.83% met criteria for probable ICD-11 COVID-19-related PTSD. Traumatic stress symptoms were associated with younger age, lower income, lower social support, and financial worries, and lived experience of PTSD/complex PTSD. Depression and anxiety measured in June 2020 predicted traumatic stress symptoms at follow-up approximately 20 weeks later in November 2020. CONCLUSIONS We did not find evidence of widespread COVID-19-related PTSD among individuals with lived experience of a psychiatric disorder. There is a need for future research to derive valid prevalence estimates of COVID-19-related PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catrin Lewis
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Katie Lewis
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Alice Roberts
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Claudia Evison
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Bethan Edwards
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Ann John
- National Centre for Mental Health, Population Data ScienceSwansea University Medical SchoolSwanseaUK
| | - Keith Lloyd
- National Centre for Mental Health, Population Data ScienceSwansea University Medical SchoolSwanseaUK
| | - Holly Pearce
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Rob Poole
- National Centre for Mental Health, Centre for Mental Health and SocietyBangor UniversityBangorUK
| | - Natalie Richards
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Catherine Robinson
- Social Care and Society, School of Health SciencesUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Ian Jones
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
| | - Jonathan I. Bisson
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, National Centre for Mental HealthCardiff University School of MedicineCardiffUK
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28
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Rajkumar RP. The Contributions of Pandemic Severity, Government Stringency, Cultural Values and Internet Usage to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Data From 35 Countries. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 7:881928. [PMID: 35620119 PMCID: PMC9127200 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.881928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Emergent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been frequently reported in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may affect up to 17-18% of individuals. There is preliminary evidence that pandemic severity, cultural values, restrictions imposed by governments, and Internet usage may all influence the emergence of PTSD symptomatology. In this study, possible linear- and non-linear associations between these factors and the prevalence of PTSD symptoms across 35 countries were examined based on data from existing research. Evidence was found for a positive logarithmic relationship between the COVID-19 case-fatality ratio and PTSD (p = 0.046), a positive logarithmic relationship between power distance and PTSD (p = 0.047), and a trend toward a negative quadratic association with Internet usage (p = 0.051). No significant cross-national effect was observed for government restrictiveness. These findings suggest that strategies aimed at minimizing COVID-19 deaths, and at ensuring equitable access to essential resources, may be of use in reducing the emergence of PTSD symptoms at a population level during this pandemic.
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Armitage CJ, Dawes P, Munro KJ. Prevalence and correlates of COVID-19-related traumatic stress symptoms among older adults: A national survey. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 147:190-193. [PMID: 35063737 PMCID: PMC8720077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.12.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus pandemics increase the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which requires intensive treatment and is related to several long-term psychiatric disorders. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and hence trauma symptoms. It is not known what is the prevalence of trauma symptoms relating to COVID-19 specifically among older adults nor what may be the markers for the emergence of trauma symptoms. The aim of the present research was to estimate the prevalence, and identify correlates of, traumatic stress symptoms attributable to COVID-19 among older adults in the UK. A cross-sectional survey that assessed COVID-19-related trauma symptoms and demographics was conducted with a sample of 3012 adults aged 60 years and older who were representative of the UK population. Data were analysed descriptively and using multiple/logistic regression. 36.5% of the sample (n = 1100) reported experiencing clinically meaningful traumatic stress symptoms that could lead to as many as 27.4% of the sample going on to develop PTSD. Women and younger older adults were particularly likely to experience clinically meaningful symptoms of traumatic stress. Work is urgently required to prepare services to address what may be substantial numbers of older people presenting with PTSD in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Armitage
- Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom,NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom,Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom,Corresponding author. Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Piers Dawes
- Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom; School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
| | - Kevin J. Munro
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia,Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
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van der Velden PG, Contino C, Das M, Leenen J, Wittmann L. Differences in mental health problems, coping self-efficacy and social support between adults victimised before and adults victimised after the COVID-19 outbreak: population-based prospective study. Br J Psychiatry 2022; 220:1-7. [PMID: 35067247 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2021.226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Victims of violence, accidents and threats are at risk for mental health problems. Lower coping self-efficacy and social support levels increase this risk. Although highly relevant, it is unknown if the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic amplifies these risks. AIMS To examine if the prevalence, incidence and/or mean scores for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression symptoms, general mental health problems, coping self-efficacy, lack of emotional support and social acknowledgement are higher among adults victimised in the year after the COVID-19 outbreak compared with adults victimised in a similar period before the outbreak. Also, to compare symptoms, problems and support within non-victims during the same period. METHOD Data was extracted from four surveys of the VICTIMS study (March 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), based on a random sample of the Dutch population. Multivariate logistic regression analyses and mixed-effects models were used to examine differences between the two victim groups (2019: n = 421, 2021: n = 319) and non-victims (n = 3245). RESULTS Adults victimised after the outbreak more often had PTSD, anxiety and depression symptoms, general mental health problems and lower coping self-efficacy than those victimised before. They did not differ in lack of support and acknowledgement. Both victim groups differed from non-victims, where mental health problems and lack of support levels were much lower and almost stable. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health and coping self-efficacy levels of victims, whereas mental health problems among non-victims remained virtually stable. Mental healthcare workers, general practitioners and victim services should take this impact into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter G van der Velden
- Centerdata, the Netherlands and Tilburg University's Network on Health and Labor (NETHLAB), Tilburg University, the Netherlands
| | | | - Marcel Das
- Centerdata, the Netherlands and Tilburg School of Economics and Management, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
| | | | - Lutz Wittmann
- International Psychoanalytic University Berlin, Germany
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Menculini G, Albert U, Bianchini V, Carmassi C, Carrà G, Cirulli F, Dell'osso B, Fabrazzo M, Perris F, Sampogna G, Nanni MG, Pompili M, Sani G, Volpe U, Tortorella A. Did we learn something positive out of the COVID-19 pandemic? Post-traumatic growth and mental health in the general population. Eur Psychiatry 2022; 64:e79. [PMID: 35000665 PMCID: PMC8888429 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.2263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background When facing a traumatic event, some people may experience positive changes, defined as posttraumatic growth (PTG). Methods Understanding the possible positive consequences of the pandemic on the individual level is crucial for the development of supportive psychosocial interventions. The present paper aims to: 1) evaluate the levels of PTG in the general population; 2) to identify predictors of each dimension of post-traumatic growth. Results The majority of the sample (67%, N = 13,889) did not report any significant improvement in any domain of PTG. Participants reported the highest levels of growth in the dimension of “appreciation of life” (2.3 ± 1.4), while the lowest level was found in the “spiritual change” (1.2 ± 1.2). Female participants reported a slightly higher level of PTG in areas of personal strength (p < .002) and appreciation for life (p < .007) compared to male participants, while no significant association was found with age. At the multivariate regression models, weighted for the propensity score, only the initial week of lockdown (between 9-15 April) had a negative impact on the dimension of “relating to others” (B = −.107, 95% CI = −.181 to −.032, p < .005), while over time no other effects were found. The duration of exposure to lockdown measures did not influence the other dimensions of PTG. Conclusions The assessment of the levels of PTG is of great importance for the development of ad hoc supportive psychosocial interventions. From a public health perspective, the identification of protective factors is crucial for developing ad-hoc tailored interventions and for preventing the development of full-blown mental disorders in large scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Menculini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi 1, 06132Perugia, Italy
| | - Umberto Albert
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34128Trieste, Italy.,Department of Mental Health, Psychiatric Clinic, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano-Isontina-ASUGI, 34128Trieste, Italy
| | - Valeria Bianchini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, Psychiatric Unit: Trattamenti Riabilitativi Psicosociali, Interventi Precoci, TRIP, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Treatment, Early Interventions University Unit, University of L'Aquila, 67100L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Carrà
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan Bicocca, 20126Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, National Institute of Health, 00161Rome, Italy
| | - Bernardo Dell'osso
- Department of Mental Health, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", University of Milan, 20157Milan, Italy.,Department of Health Sciences, Aldo Ravelli Center for Neurotechnology and Brain Therapeutic, University of Milan, 20142Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Fabrazzo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80138Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Perris
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80138Naples, Italy
| | - Gaia Sampogna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, 80138Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Giulia Nanni
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, 44121Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sani
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Psychiatry, University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168Rome, Italy.,Department of Psychiatry, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168Rome, Italy
| | - Umberto Volpe
- Clinical Psychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121Ancona, Italy
| | - Alfonso Tortorella
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Perugia, Piazza Lucio Severi 1, 06132Perugia, Italy
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Paez-Maggio M, Rossi M, Fazzito L, Merello M. Validation of an events exposure questionnaire for individuals living in major cities of Argentina. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2031830. [PMID: 35186218 PMCID: PMC8856068 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2022.2031830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Most of the validated 'events exposure' questionnaires are focused on lifetime burden and are hardly applicable to Argentina owing to its sociocultural and natural conditions, where corruption and economic crises have been hitting middle-class people's lives in a cyclic manner. This prompted us to develop a new questionnaire, validated in Argentina, to assess the occurrence of exposure to events and their severity over a limited period. Deductive (bibliographic search) and inductive (by a Delphi group) selection was used to create an initial group of 24 questions, which were condensed into a final 14-item questionnaire. After administration to 512 inhabitants of the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires and other major cities in Argentina, the questionnaire was shown to have an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.996 and an internal consistency, measured by the omega coefficient, of 0.86. Because this study was conducted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an additional question on how this situation affected individuals was included. The time span used to measure event exposure was 1 year prior to the study. In the case of an affirmative event exposure, the responder selected the severity of the stress perception generated on a Likert-like scale, ranging from 0 (nothing) to 5 (severe). Fifty-eight per cent of the responders were women, and the mean age was 47.14 years (SD: 13.97). The average annual event incidence per person was 2.5 events (SD: 1.88). Thirty-two per cent (164/512) reported at least one 5-point event on the severity scale. Ten per cent (51/512) responded that the COVID-19 pandemic affected them in a different manner than events related to personal or family disease, or the death of a close family member or friend.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Paez-Maggio
- Movement Disorders Service, Neuroscience Department, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Rossi
- Movement Disorders Service, Neuroscience Department, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L Fazzito
- Department of Psychiatry, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M Merello
- Movement Disorders Service, Neuroscience Department, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Neurodegenerative diseases, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Sampogna G, Pompili M, Fiorillo A. Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Worldwide Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:ijerph19010161. [PMID: 35010419 PMCID: PMC8750501 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Sampogna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Maurizio Pompili
- Suicide Prevention Centre, Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Andrea Fiorillo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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Comment on Tyson, G.; Wild, J. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Journalists Repeatedly Covering COVID-19 News. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8536. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182111421. [PMID: 34769938 PMCID: PMC8583361 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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O’Donnell ML, Greene T. Understanding the mental health impacts of COVID-19 through a trauma lens. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2021; 12:1982502. [PMID: 34745445 PMCID: PMC8567864 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1982502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This special issue of the European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT) presents the first studies published by EJPT on COVID-19. We present 26 qualitative and quantitative studies assessing the prevalence of trauma-related symptoms and psychopathology within specific vulnerable populations such as health-care workers, students, children, and managers, or more broadly at a country level with a diverse set of outcomes including post-traumatic stress, moral injury, grief and post-traumatic growth. Intervention studies focus on whether telehealth delivery of mental health therapy in the pandemic environment was useful and effective. It is clear that the pandemic has brought with it a rise in trauma exposure and consequently impacted on trauma-related mental health. While for many individuals, COVID-19-related events met criteria for a DSM-5 Criterion A event, challenges remain in disentangling trauma exposure from stress, anxiety, and other phenomena. It is important to determine the contexts in which a trauma lens makes a useful contribution to understanding the mental health impacts of COVID-19 and the ways in which this may facilitate recovery. The papers included in this Special Issue provide an important and much-needed evidence-based foundation for developing trauma-informed understanding and responses to the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan L. O’Donnell
- Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Talya Greene
- University of Haifa and Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
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