Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and Traumatic Stress: Probable Risk Factors and Correlates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

COVID-19 Personal Experiences and Posttraumatic Stress in National Guard Service Members

INTRODUCTION

The National Guard (NG) was an important component of the U.S. emergency response for the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding how the personal COVID-19 experiences of NG members may be associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and disorder (PTSD) can inform approaches to identifying and sustaining service members' mental health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We surveyed 3,993 NG service members (75% Army; 79% enlisted; 33% 30-39 years old; 81% male) during the pandemic. Forty-six percent of participants were activated in response to COVID-19. Surveys were administered between August and December 2020. We defined personal COVID-19 experiences as having COVID-19, a family member(s) having COVID-19, and/or having a close relationship with someone who died from COVID-19. In addition, using a 4-item form of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), current posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and probable PTSD were assessed. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of COVID-19 experiences to PTSS and probable PTSD, respectively.

RESULTS

Approximately 32% of participants reported at least one personal COVID-19 experience. Univariable linear regression analyses indicated that NG service members who had a personal COVID-19 experience reported more PTSS than those with no personal experience (B = 0.53, SE = 0.12, P < .001). After adjusting for demographics and service-related characteristics, having a personal COVID-19 experience continued to be associated with higher PTSS (B = 0.48, SE = 0.12, P < .001). When examining the relationships of distinct types of personal COVID-19 experiences to PTSS and PTSD together in multivariable models, those who had a close relationship with someone who died from COVID-19 had higher levels of PTSS (B = 1.31, SE = 0.22, P < .001) and were almost 3 times more likely to have PTSD (OR = 2.94[95%CI = 1.93-4.47], P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Personal COVID-19 experiences are associated with increased PTSS and PTSD risk in NG service members. Such knowledge may aid in selection of service members for activation and identifying those in need of care.

Predictors of COVID-Related stress in a community sample in Turkey: a cross-sectional study

The distinctive mental health features associated with COVID-19 have gained importance as the psychological effects of the pandemic on the community become more visible. This study aims to assess the COVID-related stress status and associated factors in the community sample of Turkey. The sample of this cross-sectional study is composed of 2.065 people between the ages of 18-90. Data were collected through an online survey prepared by Google.docs between October-December, 2020. Mild to moderate stress was found in the community with the most common symptoms of the fear of contamination and danger. Some variables, such as being female and the severity of COVID-19 illness, were associated with higher COVID-related stress. Vulnerable groups associated with high stress should be monitored during the pandemic. The findings of this study will guide the practices of professionals working in the field of public health, healthcare, or mental health in possible future pandemics.

Loss of resources and gambling during the COVID-19 pandemic: a three-wave longitudinal study

This study is based on the Conservation of Resources theory and investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated resource loss on gambling behaviour among Polish gamblers. The study surveyed 585 individuals engaged in land-based gambling before the pandemic. Participants completed computer-assisted web interviews, responding to questions regarding land-based and online gambling frequencies, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and the Inventory of Loss of Resources in Pandemics. The findings revealed significant shifts in gambling behaviour due to pandemic-related restrictions. Land-based gambling declined during lockdowns and the third wave of the study, while online gambling surged as gamblers transitioned from land-based venues. Gamblers tended to return to land-based options as restrictions eased. Over consecutive waves, participants reported decreasing resource loss levels. Significantly, resource loss was influenced by gambling frequency rather than vice versa. Both types of gambling experienced parallel declines at the beginning of the pandemic, which subsided as the new situation became normalised. Players engaging more in gambling experienced more significant resource losses during the pandemic. Those with more resources at the pandemic's onset adapted more readily, whereas individuals with limited resources faced resource loss. Conclusions Even with stable gambling levels, heavy gamblers at baseline were at higher risk for issues. The dynamics between resource loss and gambling and problem gambling supported the resource loss spiral concept.

Posttraumatic Growth: The Role of Health and Financial Difficulties During a Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

Trauma can have a range of effects on individuals over time, including the potential for positive changes in favorable outcomes commonly referred to as posttraumatic growth. The posttraumatic growth literature has been criticized for various methodological limitations and has largely neglected the exploration of factors that may strengthen or weaken posttraumatic growth trajectories. The present study contributes to this literature by investigating trajectories of five dimensions of posttraumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and the moderating effects of health and financial difficulties on these trajectories.

METHOD

Longitudinal data were collected monthly between July 2020 and December 2022 from a sample of employed adults in Germany, involving N = 1678 participants over 30 time points (Nobservations = 29,552).

RESULTS

Results suggest that certain dimensions of posttraumatic growth showed significant increases (i.e., relationships) or decreases (i.e., spirituality and possibilities) over time and that trajectories of three dimensions (i.e., relationships, appreciation, and strength) demonstrated distinctive patterns of interaction with health and financial difficulties.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings are discussed in the context of the pandemic as well as dynamic theories of personality and identity, with implications for advancing posttraumatic growth theory and research.

Racial Differences in Feelings of Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic and John Henryism Active Coping in the United States: Results from a National Survey

Objective

To examine whether John Henryism Active Coping (JHAC) is a protective risk factor for distress during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether this association differs by race/ethnicity.

Methods

Data were collected as part of the 2020 National Blair Center Poll. Higher scores on JHAC measured a greater behavioral predisposition to cope actively and persistently with difficult psychosocial stressors and barriers of everyday life.

Results

High JHAC was associated with lower odds for feeling worried and for feeling afraid when thinking about COVID-19. These associations differed across race/ethnicity such that having a greater JHAC behavioral predisposition to coping was inversely associated with feelings of distress when thinking about the COVID-19 pandemic only among Whites and Hispanics, but not among African Americans.

Conclusion

Our findings have important implications as the COVID-19 pandemic continues into 2022 and psychological distress may linger and increase due to unprecedented economic and social impacts.

Does the level of burnout differ between occupational groups in Lithuania?

Background

The strain on workers of the healthcare system and education sector increased psychological distress and burnout. This study aimed to distinguish the occupational group that is the most affected by occupational burnout and to reveal the scope of psychosocial risk factors among each occupational group.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed burnout syndrome among 1,046 participants of different occupational groups in association with psychosocial work environment factors in Lithuania. The anonymous questionnaire was composed of the standardized Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). To find out associations between psychosocial work environment factors and burnout dimensions, a multiple logistic regression model using the stepwise method was applied.

Results

The burnout levels in all three dimensions (personal, work-related, and client-related burnout) were significantly higher in physicians' and nurses' groups compared with public health professionals, teachers, and managers (p < 0.05). The job demands were associated with the personal burnout subscale for all occupations, except public health specialists - each one-unit increase of this variable significantly increased the probability of personal burnout from 10 to 16%, respectively by the occupation. Co-worker support was found to have a buffering effect for all occupational groups, except managers - and significantly reduced personal burnout for physicians (OR = 0.80), nurses (OR = 0.75), public health specialists (OR = 0.75), and teachers (OR = 0.79).

Conclusion

The burnout levels in all three dimensions differed between occupational groups: there were significantly higher in physicians' and nurses' groups compared with public health professionals, teachers, and managers. Considering the occupational preventive measures in the healthcare sector attention should be paid to the reduction of workload and ensuring good relations between co-workers.

The mental burden of stay-at-home order extensions during COVID-19

This study evaluates the psychological impact of stay-at-home extension orders during COVID-19 and its relationship with individuals' expectations on the duration of the extensions. An online survey was administered to 1259 US adult residents to measure symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and stress induced by different stay-at-home order extensions using hypothetical length scenarios. We find that individuals exposed to two 2-week order extensions exhibit higher levels of stress and anxiety compared to those exposed to a single 4-week extension. We also find that subjects with longer expected extensions exhibit more signs of psychological damage than those with shorter expected extensions. Furthermore, we find that the negative psychological consequences of providing two shorter extensions is observed only among subjects with extension expectations of four weeks or less. Our results demonstrate that people's expectations affect the level of psychological damage caused by lockdown mandates. Our findings suggest that whenever lockdown extensions are necessary, reduced psychological distress may be possible by implementing a one-time restriction, rather than extending multiple smaller extensions perhaps due to manipulation of personal expectations.

Death anxiety and satisfaction with life among the adults in the social isolation process of Covid-19 pandemic: the mediating role of perceived stress

BACKGROUND

The present study examined the mediating role of perceived stress during the social isolation process of the Covid-19 pandemic on the association between death anxiety and satisfaction with life. The participants of the study included 410 individuals (212 females and 198 males) from Turkey. Data were collected using the Death Anxiety Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to reveal the relationships between death anxiety, perceived stress and satisfaction with life and to test the mediating role of perceived stress on the effect of death anxiety and satisfaction with life in the Covid-19 pandemic process.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The structural equation modelling results indicated that stress mediated the impact of death anxiety on satisfaction with life. Moreover, the bootstrapping procedure revealed significant links from death anxiety to satisfaction with life through perceived stress in the social isolation process of Covid-19.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the study contributed to the structuring of psychological health services to be offered within the scope of public health during the Covid-19 pandemic and the understanding of the complex nature of the relationship between psychological factors and satisfaction with life. Possible explanations and limitations were discussed.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms and benefit finding: a longitudinal study among Italian health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE

Research has highlighted that the exposure of healthcare professionals to the COVID-19 pandemic for over two years can lead to the development and persistence of symptoms characteristic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with serious consequences on both the individual well-being and the quality of care provided. The present study was aimed at investigating the role of benefit finding in moderating post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) over time.

METHODS

The longitudinal study, conducted between April and October 2020, involved 226 Italian health workers (44.7% nurses and midwives, 35% doctors, 20.3% technical and rehabilitation professionals), who filled out an online survey at the beginning of the study (T1), after three months (T2), and after six months (T3). Participants (77.4% women; mean age = 41.93, SD = 12.06) completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and Benefit Finding, a 17-item questionnaire measuring the perceived level of positive consequences derived from stressful experiences. A hierarchical regression analysis highlighted the moderating effect of benefit finding (T2) on the association between PTSS values at T1 and T3.

RESULTS

A buffering effect was observed, with higher benefit finding levels reducing the magnitude of the bivariate association between PTSS assessed at the beginning and at the end of the study.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest the potential mental health related benefits of interventions allowing health professionals to identify positive aspects in the experience of working under prolonged emergency circumstances, such as the pandemic ones.

Predicting and Moderating COVID-Fear and Stress among College Students in Argentina and the USA

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected mental health worldwide and college students were particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects. This longitudinal study was designed to highlight and compare the COVID experiences of college students in Argentina and the USA (N = 361). Specifically, we examined individual factors (gender, emotional regulation, and social support) assessed prior to the pandemic for their role as predictors or moderators of COVID-fear and psychological stress during the first months of the pandemic. The results supported measurement invariance for brief measures of COVID-fear and indicated that, overall, COVID-fear was highest during the second wave of the study (March-April 2020), lowest during the third wave (June 2020), and then rose again during the fourth wave (September 2020). Several interaction effects emerged, revealing important country-level differences in COVID-fear effects for the emotion regulation and social support factors. More so in the Argentina sample than in the USA sample, higher levels of social support at Time 1 were associated with increases in the effect of COVID-fear on stress among students. We discussed the implications of these and other findings for future cross-cultural pandemic-related stress studies.

A decline in perceived social status leads to post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in adults half a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: consideration of the mediation effect of perceived vulnerability to disease

Background/purpose

In December 2019, Wuhan, Hubei, China firstly reported the existence of the COVID-19 virus. It is crucial to prioritize the psychological well-being of citizens in lockdown cities and make more strides in the academic field of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to prepare for the post-pandemic era.

Methods

We took the cognitive-relational theory as our basis and collected Hubei province-level data (N = 3,465) to examine the impact of perceived social status decline on the prevalence of PTSD symptoms, and checked the mediating effect of perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD) during the period of psychological adjustment.

Results

Using propensity score matching, we estimate the average treatment effect of perceived social status decline on PTSD level, and we robustly regress the two with weight adjustment generated in matching. We found that more decline in perceived social status is associated with a worse degree of PTSD symptoms, and confirmed PVD's buffering role although the mediating effect was not as high as hypothesized.

Conclusion and implications

Our study confirmed the decisive role of subject social status in health prediction compared to traditional socioeconomic measures, which extends the cognitive-relational in examining socioeconomic status and contributes to the dialog on socioeconomic inequality. We also suggested providing more social support at the community level and enhancing individuals' positive understanding to protect mental health.

The perceived long-term impact of COVID-19 on OCD symptomology

A pandemic outbreak can lead to excessive, maladaptive levels of anxiety, particularly among individuals who already suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) provided a novel opportunity to examine the possibility that individuals with OCD, compared to those without OCD, might experience greater distress from this common stressor. The present study examined the lasting effects of COVID-19 in the year after the outbreak. Additionally, there is limited research regarding the stability of OCD dimensions; therefore, this study examined whether the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the stability of OCD dimensions. One hundred and forty-three adults who reported they had been diagnosed with OCD and ninety-eight adults without OCD, completed an online survey assessing the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on symptoms of OCD in the year after the initial outbreak. The OCD group showed greater concern about the pandemic and greater concern about future pandemics compared to the comparison group. In addition, COVID-19 related distress differentially related to OCD symptoms dimensions, showing the strongest association with the contamination dimension. Lastly, results showed that many individuals reported that their OCD dimension shifted to obsessions about COVID-19 from their pre-existing OCD dimension.

The relationship between psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth in cancer patients in the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE

The COVID-19 pandemic may have an important long-term emotional impact on patients with cancer diagnosis, as they are in the high-risk group. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between self-compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic growth, and to examine whether psychological flexibility may serve as a mediator between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth.

METHODS

Two hundred fifty-three patients with cancer were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Features Data Form, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were applied to all patients.

RESULTS

The multivariate analysis with independent variable SCS, FMI, AAQ-II, and CFQ scores explains 49% of the variance in PTGI (F(4,248) = 60,585, p < 0.001). SC and FMI scores were found to have a positive and AAQ-II and CFQ scores a negative predictive effect on PTGI scores. The partial mediational effect of psychological flexibility on the relationship between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth was found to be statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

In traumatic life events such as pandemics, the importance of self-compassion for posttraumatic growth and the mediator role of psychological flexibility in this relationship should be considered in order to manage the treatment process in cancer patients. These patients are more affected by the pandemic due to the nature of their malignancy and the strict protective measures they must follow as members of a high-risk group. The significance of therapies focused on psychological flexibility should be emphasized in comprehensive biopsychosocial approaches for the management of cancer patients.

The effects of an intervention program on psychosocial factors and consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Chilean technology services company: A quasiexperimental study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health became a relevant factor in people's performance within organizations. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of an organizational intervention program on the psychosocial factors of demands, resources, and the consequences of psychosocial risks in a technology services company during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A quasiexperimental study was carried out with 105 employees who took part in an 8-week intervention program divided into two large stages. Pre- and postmeasurements were collected using the UNIPSICO Questionnaire, considering its factors of demands, resources, and consequences of psychosocial risks. The Spanish Burnout Inventory (SBI) was also included.

RESULTS

The results showed significant improvements in the perception of the following psychosocial demand factors: Role conflict (p < 0.001), Role ambiguity, workload, interpersonal conflicts (p < 0.05). In the resource factors: autonomy, work social support, feedback (p < 0.001) Resources at work, transformational leadership, and self-efficacy (p < 0.05). In addition, all the consequences of psychosocial risks have improvements: Indolence, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction (p < 0.001), Burnout syndrome, enthusiasm toward the job, and psychosomatic problems (p < 0.05), except the Guilt dimension of the SBI.

CONCLUSION

We can conclude that the program was effective and that the study limitations should be improved in future studies.

Effects of psychological distress and life satisfaction on COVID-related traumatic stress: An international, cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

This study examines the individual impacts of psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) and life satisfaction on COVID-related traumatic stress in an international sample of heterosexual versus LGBQ+ adults.

METHOD

Between July and August 2020, a cross-sectional electronic survey (n = 2482) was launched in five countries (India, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and United States) assessing sociodemographic characteristics as well as psychological, behavioral, and social factors related to health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Significant differences between LGBQ+ participants and heterosexual participants were found for depression (p < .001) and anxiety (p < .001). Depression was associated with COVID-related traumatic stress among heterosexual participants (p < .001) but not LGBQ+ participants. Both anxiety (p < .001) and life satisfaction (p = .003) were also associated with COVID-related traumatic stress in both groups. Hierarchical regression models demonstrated significant effects of COVID-related traumatic stress for adults outside the United States (p < .001); less than full-time employment (p = .012); and for greater levels of anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction, respectively (all ps < .001).

LIMITATIONS

Given the stigma of being LGBQ+ that remains in many countries, participants in may have been reluctant to identify as a sexual minority and therefore indicated a heterosexual sexual orientation.

CONCLUSION

The impact of sexual minority stress among LGBQ+ may play a role in COVID-related post-traumatic stress. Large-scale global disasters such as pandemics, contribute to disparities in psychological distress among LGBQ+ individual, however, sociodemographic factors such as country and urbanicity may play mediating or moderating roles.

Fear of COVID-19 and employee mental health in quarantine hotels: The role of self-compassion and psychological resilience at work

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive and unprecedented impact on the mental health of individuals worldwide. Quarantine hotel employees not only endured enormous upheavals when providing service to quarantine guests during obligatory quarantine periods, but also experienced the high mental stress that comes with the risk of exposure and contagion of themselves, their friends, and their families. This study investigated the impact of the fear of COVID-19 on mental health problems. The moderating roles of self-compassion and psychological resilience were also examined. Data was collected from 360 employees from thirteen "Alternative State Quarantine" hotels in Thailand. The results suggested that fear of COVID-19 positively influenced mental health problems. Self-compassion and psychological resilience at work buffered the detrimental impact of fear of COVID-19 on mental health. This three-way interaction demonstrated that employees with high self-compassion and high resilience coped better. The theoretical and practical implications for hospitality managers are discussed.

So far but yet so near: Examining the buffering effect of perceived social support on the psychological impact of Spanish lockdown

The main objective of this study was to examine the moderating or buffering effect of social support (SS) perceived by university students on the psychological impact of lockdown on mental health. Specifically, a total of 826 participants (622 women) completed an online survey that included standardized measures of anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and irritability (Brief Irritability Test), as well as measures of stressors, perceived SS, and self-perceived change in mental health. The results of hierarchical regression analyses suggest that SS contributes toward attenuating the negative impact of academic stressors, general overload, and interpersonal conflict on the indicators of psychological well-being; however, moderation analysis only confirms the buffering effect for symptoms of anxiety. In conclusion, it is suggested that SS networks need to be strengthened as a basic means of protecting health and well-being during unexpected disasters.

Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Outbreak as Experienced by ICU Nurses: Manifest Qualitative Content Analysis

From the moment the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic, intensive care unit (ICU) nurses struggled to care for the COVID-19 patients. As the pandemic became increasingly critical, the task of daily care for critically ill patients fell upon the shoulders of ICU nurses. Understanding the lived experience of ICU nurses, as well as their perception of the experience, is important to identify key lessons to further improve ICU nurses' psychological well-being and resilience. This study explored the lived experiences of ICU nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients using exploratory manifest qualitative content analysis. The findings of this study revealed that these ICU nurses offer important information concerning the crucial role of nurses' family support and religious-spiritual practices in helping them to maintain well-being and cope with the intense situations caused by the pandemic. The lessons emerging from the study findings show that family support and religious-spiritual practices are resources for coping and resilience in times of future pandemics. This implies that ICU nurses who provide care during stressful emergency surges require relief by nurses working in other areas to provide them the opportunity to rest, reconnect with family and become emotionally re-energized.

Continuous Exposure to Terrorism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Moderated Mediation Model in the Israeli Context

This study tested the role of perceived social support as a moderating factor in the mediation of COVID-19-related concerns in the association between continuous traumatic stress (CTS) and depression. The study participants were 499 college students who responded to an anonymous online questionnaire. Measures included the assessment of prior continuous exposure to threats of terrorism, COVID-19-related distress, perceived social support and depressive symptoms. The results demonstrated that COVID-19-related concerns mediated the relationship between continuous exposure to threats of terrorism and depression symptoms, and that perceived social support moderated the association between COVID-19-related concerns and depression. The implications of the study highlight the role of prior exposure to traumatic stress as a risk factor for depression and the role of social support as a protective factor. These results point to the need to develop accessible and non-stigmatic mental health services for populations exposed to other types of continuous traumatic stress.

Peritraumatic distress across the lifespan: Clinical implications of age differences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

The Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) is a well-known self-report questionnaire indexing the distress experienced during and shortly after a most stressful or traumatic event. Although sociodemographic factors contributing to peritraumatic distress have been previously investigated, no research has examined the nature and severity of peritraumatic distress reactions in a non-clinical, community sample as a function of age. An international sample of 5621 adult participants were grouped according the World Health Organization's age stratification protocol. Mean scores and item endorsement on the PDI were compared across groups with respect to their worst experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant between-group difference was found, F(55,615) = 30.74, p < 0.001, n²  = 0.027 whereby participants aged 18-39 years old reported the highest levels of peritraumatic distress. This group also endorsed a higher proportion of items on the PDI's two main factors (emotional distress and physical reactions), and were more likely to endorse feelings of helplessness, than older participants. It appears that severity of peritraumatic distress during the pandemic has affected younger people the most. Results are discussed in light of clinical implications.

Factors associated with posttraumatic growth: gratitude, PTSD and distress; one year into the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon

Almost one year since the COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, mental distress remains elevated with high prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Yet studies suggest these challenging circumstances might be conducive of post-traumatic growth (PTG). This study aims to investigate the factors associated with growth after the original trauma. A sample of 252 Lebanese adults filled an online survey to determine levels of PTG, PTSD and gratitude using validated self-rating scales. Participants also subjectively evaluated the sources of their distress such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beirut port explosion and/or their deteriorating financials. The PTGi-SF evaluated dimensions of growth while the IES-R_22 measured the degree of distress post-trauma. The GQ-6 was used to measure the proneness to experience gratitude daily. Results indicated 41% of participants scored above the cutoff for PTSD symptomatology. Yet, PTSD was positively correlated, alongside gratitude and accumulated subjective distress, with higher levels of PTG. A forward linear regression taking PTG scores as the dependent variable further showed that more gratitude (Beta = 0.57), a higher impact of events (Beta = 0.16), and knowing anyone who died from COVID-19 (Beta = 3.93) were significantly associated with more growth. The study highlights elevated levels of PTSD symptoms in a context of a global pandemic worsened by financial and socio-political instabilities. It mostly identifies personal factors, including high initial symptomatology post-trauma and gratitude, related to the capacity for growth in spite of these accumulating hardships. As such, it advocates the need to investigate and bolster silver linings amidst unprecedented traumas.

Changes in Religiosity and Reliance on God During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Protective Role Under Conditions of Financial Strain?

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most devastating disasters of the twenty-first century and has exacted a steep health and economic toll. During times of suffering caused by the pandemic, religion/spirituality may prove to be a consistent and valuable coping resource.

Purpose

We situate changes in religious importance and reliance on God as key aspects of religious life that may be important coping mechanisms in response to pandemic-related financial hardship, addressing a gap in the literature on religious coping during the pandemic and considering self-reported changes in religiosity.

Methods

We use data from a nationally representative sample of Americans that was collected in 2021 (N = 1704) and employ a series of OLS Regression Models.

Results

Our results suggest that relying more heavily on God was associated with lower psychological distress, and a stronger reliance on God buffered the deleterious consequences of financial strain on psychological distress. No such patterns were documented for religious importance.

Conclusion and Implications

We discuss our findings within the broader religion and health literature as to whether secondary control via a divine power reduces or enhances individual agency and discuss religion/spirituality may be a consistent and valuable coping resource through adversity and suffering. Though it may be challenging to maintain, or increase, religious/spiritual beliefs in the face of adversity, that there were observed benefits to well-being for doing so could serve as insightful guidance for both religious leaders and R/S individuals.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown on mental health among the general population in Poland and on the availability of psychological support

The objective of this paper was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Poles and the availability of psychiatric and psychological support during the pandemic. A prospective, cross-sectional web-based survey design was adopted. It was carried out on a sample of 1080 Polish citizens above 18 years old. The majority of Poles (70%) experienced symptoms of mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep disturbance (63.79%), anxiety (48.79%), low mood for most of the day (44.63%), sadness, tearfulness (41.29%), and concentration disorders (35.93%) were the mental disorder symptoms reported most often by the survey subjects. To reduce the potential acute and long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, decision-makers of the Polish health system should implement stepped multilevel and multi-target psychological support services.

The prevalences, changes, and related factors of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been extensive and drastic during the twenty-first century. The increasing phenomenon of child maltreatment during the pandemic is a significant public health concern.

OBJECTIVE

This study is the first systematic review to analyze and summarize the prevalence rates, risk factors, and protective factors related to child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase) were systematically searched. Some potential studies were also identified from the reference lists of previously included articles. The quality of the included studies was assessed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool and Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Quality Assessment Tool.

RESULTS

A total of 35 articles were included in the analysis, with 16 having prevalence information and 22 having factor information. Sixteen studies were conducted in the US, the other 17 studies were from 12 countries, and only two studies contained mixed countries. The prevalences of child maltreatment during the pandemic varied widely in different types and measurements. The pandemic rates of physical abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse were 0.1 %-71.2 %, and 4.9 %-61.8 %, 7.3 %-40 % and 1.4 %-19.5 %, respectively. There was a decline in allegations of child maltreatment and an increase in severe cases of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdown measures and their side effects were the main risk factors contributing to child maltreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This review calls for targeted measures to prevent child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic and current and future lockdowns and more future replication studies conducted in countries other than the US.

Emotional Competencies of Students and Psycholinguistic Characteristics of Their Texts Written under Conditions of Situational Stress: Relationship Issues

The author deals with the relationship between the psycholinguistic characteristics of the text, as indicators of psycho-emotional states in conditions of situational stress, and the level of developed emotional competencies, i.e., the ability to understand and manage one’s own and others’ emotions. An empirical study was conducted on a student sample using the EmIn Questionnaire by D.V. Lyusin, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) by Ch.D. Spielberger and the Prognoz-2 Questionnaire by V.Yu. Rybnikov. The students who took part in the experiment wrote texts under situational stress, for which psycholinguistic indicators were calculated. The results of the study were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The data obtained confirmed the positive relationship between the emotional competencies of the students under conditions of situational stress and such psycholinguistic characteristics of their written texts as the Treiger index, the action objectification index, the use of the “subject of assistance” syntaxeme, which reflect emotional and cognitive tension, desire and determination to act and help others, as well as the negative relationship with the coefficient of aggressiveness, the first person singular pronouns, the use of the “predicate” and “causative” syntaxemes, which are markers of uncontrolled aggression, suspicion, egocentric position, search for emotional positive support from the outside, and avoidance reactions. The assumption about the relationship of emotional competences with manifestations of situational (“state”) and personal (“trait”) anxiety, as well as the likelihood of neuropsychic breakdowns in a stressful situation, was not confirmed. As a result of the study, general psycholinguistic indicators of the manifestations of situational anxiety and the formation of emotional competences were determined - these are the action objectification index and aggressiveness index. This suggests that both the ability to understand and regulate the emotions of other people, and situational anxiety, as a reactive state of the subjective experience of anxiety, tension, concern, when writing a text in a stressful situation, can be marked by an increase in number of verbs and verb forms used in the text, syntactic incompleteness of statements and a decrease in their socialization.

Predictors of mental health symptomatology among Kurdish patients who recovered from COVID-19 in Iraq

While a growing body of research has documented severe psychosocial consequences of the new Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for the affected people, research mainly focused either on health care workers or the general population. There is a dearth of scientific research on the mental health status of recovered patients, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of the current study was to determine the mental health symptomatology and its associated factors among Iraqis who recovered from COVID-19. Participants were Iraqi Kurdish individuals who had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 during the first wave of COVID-19, and they were recruited based on lists of recovered patients provided by from public health institutions. Using standardized demographic and mental health questionnaires, structured telephone interviews with 57 recovered patients were contacted. It was found that 31.6% of the participating recovered patients with COVID-19 met the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 21.05% were classified with probable depression. Hospitalized survivors had higher PTSD and depression symptoms than those not hospitalized. We also found that higher levels of PTSD and depression symptoms were predicted by younger age, hospitalization due to COVID-19, and having a family member who died from COVID-19. In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, psychological and psychiatric treatment may be particularly relevant for younger adult patients and those with more severe COVID-19 symptoms who experienced hospitalized care.

Social Work and the Next Frontier of Racial Justice: Using COVID-19 as a Vehicle for Healing

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the United States and the world into a state of uncertainty. Before the onset of the coronavirus, awareness of health disparities across cities in the United States was questionable at best. As the world continues to grapple with the fallout of the pandemic and the response to it, several states and developed and developing countries created and implemented response efforts that were used as a guide, which social workers are most qualified to address but have not been a focus on a national nor international stage. This commentary focuses on two American states - Texas and Ohio as well as other global countries, and their responses that gained worldwide attention related to healthcare accessibility, service provision, and the role social workers should play moving forward and beyond the pandemic.

Tweeting about alcohol: Exploring differences in Twitter sentiment during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

This study explores pandemic-related changes in Twitter communication by examining differences in emotional, psychological and social sentiment between alcohol-related tweets and a random sample of non-alcohol tweets during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two equivalent size sets of English-language, COVID-specific tweets posted between February 1st and April 20th, 2020 are examined. The first set includes 1.5 million tweets containing alcohol-related keywords, while the second set does not contain such references. LIWC software analyzed the tweets for sentiment factors. ANCOVAs were used to determine whether language use significantly differed between the sets, considering differences in the pandemic period (before or after the pandemic declaration) while controlling for the number of tweets. The study found that tweets in the 40 days after March 11, 2020 contained more authentic language, more affiliation-oriented language, and exhibited more positive emotion than tweets in the 40 days pre-declaration. Alcohol-related status was a significant factor only when tweets contained personal concerns, regardless of pandemic period. Authenticity levels increased significantly in alcohol-related tweets post-declaration. The findings suggest alcohol may play a lesser role in the expression of psychological, social, and emotional sentiment than the pandemic period, but interaction between authentic language and alcohol references may reflect an increased use of alcohol for coping.

Affective Attitudes in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Dynamics of Negative Emotions and a Sense of Threat in Poles in the First Wave of the Pandemic

For millions of people, the COVID-19 pandemic situation and its accompanying restrictions have been a source of threat and confrontation with negative emotions. The pandemic's universal and long-term character, as well as the ensuing drastic limitation of control over one's life, have made it necessary to work out adaptive strategies that would reduce negative experiences and eventually lead to the restoration of well-being. The aim of this research was to identify strategies that people use in response to a long-term threat that restore affective balance and a subjective sense of security. We registered selected manifestations of affective reactions to the pandemic situation. The researchers focused on the dynamics of changes in the areas of (1) experienced negative emotions (asked in an indirect way) and (2) a subjective feeling of threat regarding the pandemic (in three different contexts: Poland, Europe, and worldwide) during the first phase of the pandemic in Poland. It was expected that both the negative emotions and the sense of threat would decrease with time. In addition, it was anticipated that the physical distance would modify the assessment of the situation as threatening depending on the geographical proximity: in Poland, Europe, and worldwide. We used the mixed quasi-experimental design in the series of four studies conducted by Internet in March, May, June, and July 2020. The intensity of negative emotions and the sense of threat caused by the pandemic situation in Poland, Europe, and worldwide were measured. Despite the objective number of confirmed COVID-19 cases during each of the stages of the study, both the intensity of emotions attributed by participants as well as the feeling of threat were found to have decreased. In addition, surprisingly, a reversed effect of the distance was revealed: namely, a sense of threat experienced towards distant locations (Europe and the world) was found to be more acute when compared with the threat experienced in Poland. The obtained results are interpreted as a manifestation of adaptive perception of the threat that lies beyond one's control, which takes the form of unconscious, biased distortions: unrealistic optimism. The decrease in the intensity of negative emotions explains unrealistic absolute optimism, while the perception of the situation in Poland as less threatening than in Europe and around the world is predicted by unrealistic comparative optimism.

Burnout on the frontline: the impact of COVID-19 on emergency department staff wellbeing

BACKGROUND

Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Healthcare professionals are particularly susceptible to this occupational phenomenon. There is limited literature currently published addressing burnout in the context of the Irish frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES

Our study aims to determine the rate and degree of burnout present in the emergency department (ED) staff at St. James hospital Dublin (SJH) and at Cork University Hospital (CUH), in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was performed on a convenience sample of medical staff and healthcare staff in the ED at Cork University Hospital and St. James Hospital Dublin, two major University Hospital EDs. Burnout was measured using the Oldenburg burnout inventory (OLBI) a standardised 16-question instrument. Participants also provided demographic data and answered several questions relating to the pandemic.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-nine participants across two departments responded (a response rate of 30%). All ED cohorts were represented.

RESULTS

Burnout was identified in almost three quarters of respondents (74%). The mean burnout scores were 2.42 (OLBI cut-off 2.18). There was mean disengagement level of 2.25 and a mean exhaustion level of 2.59. There was no statistically significant variance between staff, by demographics (i.e. occupation, years working in the ED, age, or gender). There was no significant difference in burnout rates or scores between St. James Hospital, Dublin, and Cork University Hospital, though the former tended to have a higher rate of burnout at 81% vs the 67% burnout observed in CUH.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic may be contributing to the long-established problem of health care burnout. The trajectory of this disease is still unclear. Consistent, progressive measures to address staff well-being, and support frontline workers, are imperative going forward.

Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic in children: a review and suggested solutions

Background

The outbreak of coronavirus began in China in December 2019. It became a pandemic and a public health emergency. There have been numerous reports related to post-traumatic stress disorder outbreaks in the COVID-19 crisis. After a natural disaster, children are at a higher risk for post-traumatic stress disorder. The current study is a review of the scientific literature on the effect of COVID-19 on the prevalence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in children.

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases until February 02, 2022. The search strategy was based on a combination of the following keywords “child,” “COVID-19,” and “post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Results

By searching the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases, 173 articles were retrieved. After reviewing the inclusion criteria and in terms of eligibility, 10 articles met the inclusion criteria out of the remaining 46 articles. Based on the findings, 80% of the articles were cross-sectional and 20% of them were longitudinal. The articles reviewed in this study reported an increase in the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in children during or after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions

In summary, the findings of this review showed that restrictions and fears of COVID-19 had negative psychological effects on children. As well, one of the most important issues that arose at the time of the tragedy was that children were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Given that post-traumatic stress disorder can be treated, it is essential to choose the appropriate therapeutic intervention approach in order to better deal with the negative effects in children.

Comparison between emerging adults and adults in terms of contamination fear, post-COVID-19 PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity

The present study compared Chinese emerging adults and adults regarding the association between contamination fear, posttraumatic stress disorder post-COVID-19 and psychiatric comorbidity after controlling for demographic and trauma exposure variables. 1089 Chinese civilians (M = 382; F = 707) with a mean age of 26 years (M = 26.36, SD = 8.58) were recruited from different provinces in China via an online survey posted on mainstream Chinese social networking platforms. They completed a demographic page with questions on trauma exposure, the Vancouver Obsessional Compulsive Inventory, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 and the General Health Questionnaire-28. Results showed that 12.7%, 68.7% and 18.6% met criteria for full, partial and no PTSD, respectively. Emerging adults reported significantly lower levels of symptoms of re-experiencing, avoidance, somatic problems, anxiety and fear of contamination than adults. In both emerging adults and adults, contamination fear was correlated with PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity. High educational attainment was significantly correlated with psychiatric comorbidity in emerging adults, but with PTSD in adults. Length of quarantine was correlated with psychiatric comorbidity only in adults. In conclusion, both emerging adults and adults developed varying levels of contamination fear, posttraumatic stress and general psychological symptoms following the outbreak of COVID-19. Emerging adults were more resilient than adults in coping with distress.

Conservation of Resources, Psychological Distress, and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives: The Conservation of Resources (COR) theory suggests that stress results from threatened or actual loss of resources following significant life events. This study used COR theory as the framework to explore the reflection of loss of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological distress and resilience, in an adult Jewish Israeli population.

Methods: We examined the association between background variables, stress, loneliness, concern, COVID-19-related post traumatic symptoms (PTS), resilience factors and COR via an online survey among 2,000 adults during April 2020.

Results: Positive relationships were identified between resource loss and PTS (r = 0.66, p < 0.01), and between resource gain and resilience (r = 0.30, p < 0.01). Psychological variables were significantly associated with PTS and explained 62.7% of the variance, F (20, 1,413) = 118.58, p < 0.001.

Conclusion: Loss of resources, stress, loneliness and concern were found to be risk factors for distress and PTS, whereas resilience factors played a protective role. We thus recommend using the COR theory to explore COVID-19 effects elsewhere.

The Protective Role of Mature Defense Mechanisms on Satisfaction with Life in the COVID-19 Era: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced people’s lives, with non-negligible consequences for the perception of well-being. This study sought to examine the effect of anxiety, post-traumatic impairment, and mature defenses on life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. One thousand three hundred thirty-nine Italian individuals (30% male; 70% female; Mage = 34.70; SD = 11.83) completed an online survey enclosing the Satisfaction with Life Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory—Form X3, Impact of event scale—revised, and the Forty Item Defense Style Questionnaire. To test the hypothesized relationship, data were analyzed by applying a moderated-mediation analysis, a regression-based approach. Results showed that the negative effect of anxiety on life satisfaction was partially mediated by post-traumatic impairment, with a significant moderation effect of mature defenses on the relationship between post-traumatic impairment and life satisfaction. Specifically, with higher levels of mature defenses, the effects of post-traumatic impairment on consequences of the COVID-19 emergency on well-being. Furthermore, the protective role of mature defenses in facing post-traumatic impairment was shown. Such data may have applicative implications in different contexts in a management perspective of the different pandemic phases, contributing to more effective positive strength-based preventive actions to also support positive healthy organizations.

Learning Stress, Involvement, Academic Concerns, and Mental Health among University Students during a Pandemic: Influence of Fear and Moderation of Self-Efficacy

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of students. An effective method that can enable students to cope with difficult times is to help them realize their inner potential. Following the stimulus-organism-response model, this study developed a theoretical framework that deepens our understanding of an environmental stimulus (fear of COVID-19) that is experienced by students; struggle within the organism (learning stress, learning involvement, and academic concerns); and the psychological response (psychological well-being). The findings clarified how the fear of COVID-19 affects the psychological well-being of university students and revealed the moderate role of academic self-efficacy in this process. Some systematic practical advice was provided to higher education institutions to develop effective interventions to protect the mental health of college students and establish strategies to promote their inner potential.

Incidence of PTSD in the French population a month after the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown: evidence from a national longitudinal survey

BACKGROUND

In view of experts' warnings about the potential negative mental health consequences of the sudden nationwide lockdowns implemented in many countries to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, we sought to study the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traumatic events related to this unprecedented lockdown in the French general population.

METHODS

This longitudinal study among adults (aged =18) consisted of two surveys: the first during the last days of the lockdown and the second a month later. We estimated PTSD incidence with the PCL-5 and ran multiple Poisson regression models to identify factors associated with PTSD.

RESULTS

Among the 1736 participants, 30.1% reported at least one traumatic event. PTSD incidence was 17.5% (95% confidence interval CI = 15.7-19.3). It was higher in participants who reported multiple traumatic events, who had high COVID-19-related media use, who had general anxiety disorder (GAD-7) during the lockdown, and who had GAD, depression (PHQ-9), or sleep problems 1 month later. In addition, 43.1% of people with PTSD reported suicidal thoughts.

CONCLUSIONS

These results should help clinicians to target people who are at high risk of developing PTSD after a pandemic-related lockdown and could benefit from preventive measures. Collaboration between the media and mental health professionals could be envisioned to inform the population about care resources. Follow-up recommendations should also be disseminated to general practitioners to facilitate PTSD screening and ensure that they are aware of the appropriate management.

COVID‐19 pandemic‐related stressors and posttraumatic stress: The main, moderating, indirect, and mediating effects of social support

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a variety of stressors, some of which have been linked to intense stress reactions, such as posttraumatic stress (PTS)-like symptoms. However, we have limited knowledge on cumulative effects of pandemic-related stressors on PTS or on variables that may mitigate the effects of these stressors. We aimed to address some of these knowledge gaps by testing three models to examine the interrelationships among pandemic-related stressors, perceived social support, coping flexibility, and pandemic-related PTS. The sample of this cross-sectional correlational study is comprised of 2291 adults from the United States who completed an online survey between 22 May 2020 and 15 July 2020. Results indicated that greater exposure to secondary stressors, but not COVID-19-related stressors, was associated with increased PTS. After controlling for COVID-19-related and secondary stressors, social support had negative direct and indirect (via coping flexibility) effects on PTS. In addition, social support mediated the effects of COVID-19-related and secondary stressors on PTS. Our findings highlight the complexity of the role of social support in relation to pandemic-related stressors and PTS, and suggest that early interventions that target social support and coping flexibility may help reduce pandemic-related PTS.

Stress appraisal as a mediator between the sense of coherence and the frequency of stress coping strategies in women and men during COVID-19 lockdown

The COVID-19 lockdown experience is a unique and unexpected stressful life situation. In our research project, we explored gender differences in the mean level of stress appraisal (SAQ), the frequency of stress coping strategies (COPE), and the sense of coherence (SOC), as well as gender differences in the strength of the relationships between SAQ, COPE, and SOC during the COVID-19 lockdown. Finally, we tested if stressor appraisal (as a threat, harm/loss, or challenge) mediates the relationship between SOC and COPE in women and men respectively. Data were collected during the first wave of the COVID-19 lockdown in Poland in 2020. An online survey was conducted among 326 adults aged between 18 and 72. We observed gender differences in the level of SAQ, COPE, and SOC and gender differences in the significance and strength of the correlations between these variables. SOC had a twofold effect on COPE in men: direct and indirect through SOC-threat and SOC-harm/loss. In women, SOC did not directly predict COPE frequency but affected COPE in an indirect way through SAQ. SAQ is an important factor that modifies the strength of the SOC effect on COPE in women and men during the lockdown.

Repercussions of perceived threat to health in the Spanish population

Studies have shown that COVID-19 has had a worldwide psychological impact. Confinement due to COVID-19 has had important repercussions on the mental health of the general population, with high levels of stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder, and so forth. Similarly, important labor, economic and social changes taking place are affecting people's well-being. The objective of this study was to analyze the repercussions of perceived threat from COVID-19 on the mental health of the population, and to evaluate the mediating role of perceived economic impact. The participants were 1160 adult residents of Spain aged 18 to 82, 69.9% of whom were women. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Questionnaire on Perception of Threat from COVID-19 and the General Health Questionnaire were administered. Perceived threat had a positive direct effect on all four health dimensions analyzed. Among the indirect effects, the perceived economic impact of COVID-19 mediated in the relationship between perceived threat and each of the health dimensions. The results of this study have demonstrated the need to promote joint action promoting public mental health to minimize the psychological repercussions of new outbreaks.

COVID-19-related posttraumatic stress disorder in adults with lived experience of psychiatric disorder

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.

The Associations of Experiencing the COVID-19 Pandemic With Religiosity and Spirituality: A Cross-Sectional Study in Czech Adults

Objectives: We investigated the associations between religiosity/spirituality and respondents’ changes in their relationships, feelings, thinking, and behaviour during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic.

Methods: A sample of Czech adults (n = 1,434; 48.3 ± 16.4 years; 49.65% women) participated in the online survey. We measured spirituality, religiosity, self-reported changes in relationships, disrupted feelings, and changes in behaviour during the pandemic.

Results: Spiritual respondents were more likely to report increased physical activity, sex, reading and self-education, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.26 (95% confidence interval 1.09–1.46) to 1.56 (1.31–1.86). The combination of spirituality and religiosity led to an increase in the range of ORs to 1.57–2.69. Spiritual and religious participants were less likely to feel the decrease of hope by 70%, while mere spirituality significantly reduced the decrease of hope by only 30%. Religiosity itself led to a lower risk of reporting a disrupted day structure with an OR = 0.74 (0.58–0.95).

Conclusion: Religiosity and spirituality separately help people during a pandemic in some areas. Especially their combination has a more positive impact on relationships, feelings, and behaviour.

Prediction of PTSD related to COVID-19 in emergency staff based on the components of self-compassion and perceived social support

BACKGROUND

On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic. In addition to severe health problems, the disease has had a major psychological impact on the public. The aim of this research was to examine the association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to COVID-19 in emergency staff and self-compassion and perceived social support.

METHODS

Data were collected from 222 emergency staff working in two referral educational and health centers for COVID-19 affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The participants were recruited six months following the first case of hospitalization for COVID-19 in these two hospitals in Tabriz, Iran. Four questionnaires were used to measure the variables, including a researcher-made demographic checklist, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS) and the Self-Compassion Scale.

RESULTS

The findings showed that age (r = 0.17, P = 0.034), self-judgment (r = 0. 36, P < 0.001), isolation (r = 0.44, P < 0.001) and over-identification (r = 0.15, P = 0.031) were associated with PTSD score, and there was also a statistically significant inverse relationship between the score of the self-kindness (r = - 0.19, P = 0.006) subscale and the overall score of PTSD in the emergency staff.

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency staff have persistently faced potentially traumatic situations as first-line healthcare workers, suggesting the direness of this group's mental health. By identifying the predisposing factors of the psychological pathology under study, this research can be applied in clinical practice and provide useful information for designing special interventions and protocols for emergency staff.

Relationship quality and support for family policy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective

We examined how relationship satisfaction changed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as how relationship satisfaction related to public policy support.

Background

Conservation of resources (COR) theory suggests that societal-level stressors (such as a global pandemic) threaten familial and individual resources, straining couple relationships. Relationship satisfaction is in turn linked with important individual, familial, and societal outcomes, necessitating research on how COVID-19 impacted this facet of relationships.

Method

Drawing from an international project on COVID-19 and family life, participants included 734 married and cohabiting American parents of children under 18 years of age.

Results

Findings revealed relationship satisfaction declined moderately compared to retrospective reports of relationship satisfaction prior to the pandemic. This decline was more precipitous for White individuals, women, parents less involved in their children's lives, and those reporting higher levels of depressive symptoms. We also found that higher relationship satisfaction was associated with higher levels of support for family policy, particularly for men. At higher levels of relationship satisfaction, men and women had similarly high levels of support for family policy, while at lower levels, women's support for family policy was significantly higher.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic likely amplified facets of social inequality, which is especially concerning when considering the large socioeconomic gaps prior to the pandemic.

Implications

Therapists, researchers, and policy makers should examine how relationship satisfaction may have changed during the pandemic because relationship satisfaction is linked to child and adult well-being and relationship dissolution. Further, the link between relationship satisfaction and support for family policy deserves further scrutiny.

Restaurant Diners' Switching Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Protection Motivation Theory

The unsettling fear of COVID-19 infections has caused a new trend in consumer behavior in the food and beverage industry. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has shifted consumers' preferences from eat-in to online delivery. This research aims to measure the impact of consumers' motivation to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19, which explains why people switch from eat-in to online food delivery. We adopted the theory of protection motivation (PMT) to explain consumer switching behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study investigated the mediating effect of switching intention on the relationship between vulnerability, altruistic fear, anticipated regret, and switching behavior. Simultaneously, we examined the role of brand awareness as a moderator of behavioral choices of consumers switching from eat-in to online delivery. We collected data from 681 eatery consumers in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, using scenario-based survey questionnaires (327 eat-in respondents and 354 online delivery respondents). Then, the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). This new generation analysis was conducted using the analysis of moment structure (AMOS) (v.24.0) and the statistical package for social science (SPSS-version 25.0). The results indicated that consumer vulnerability, altruistic fear, and anticipated regret of COVID-19 increased consumers' propensity to shift from eat-in to online food delivery. Allegedly, consumer behavioral control and intention of switching toward online delivery were pointedly affected by switching behavior. The results indicated that consumer vulnerability, altruistic fear, and anticipated regret of COVID-19 increased the shifting of restaurant dine-in patterns and made the intention to switch to online delivery. Consumers' alleged behavioral control and their intention of switching toward online delivery were pointedly affected by switching behavior. We also found that brand awareness moderately affects switching behavior toward restaurant settings. The present research contributes to developing the consumer behavior model of switching from eat-in to online delivery. This study also provides eatery customers and the business community with a safer and healthier proposition of shifting to online food delivery during the pandemic.

Individual Stress Burden and Mental Health in Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Moderating and Mediating Effects of Resilience

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic generated a significant burden on the German health care system, affecting the mental health of health care workers (HCW) in particular. Resilience may serve as an essential protective factor for individuals’ well-being. Objective: Our objective was to identify demographic and work-related correlates of individual resilience and to investigate the association between pandemic-related stress, resilience and mental health using different resilience models. Methods: Our sample comprised 1034 German HCW in different medical professions who completed an online survey from 20 April to 1 July 2020. Resilience was assessed using the Resilience Scale-5 (RS-5). The pandemic-related self-reported stress burden was captured by a single item, while depression and anxiety symptoms were measured with the PHQ-2 and GAD-2, respectively. Additionally, various sociodemographic and work-related factors were assessed. Results: Overall, we found high levels of resilience in the sample compared to a German sample before the pandemic, which were significantly associated only with the older age of participants and having children in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Regarding mechanisms of resilience, moderation analysis revealed that low individual resilience and high pandemic-related stress burden independently contributed to both anxiety and depression symptoms while resilience additionally moderated the relationship between stress burden and anxiety symptoms. The link between self-reported stress burden and mental health symptoms was also partially mediated by individual resilience. Conclusion: Taken together, the findings based on the present sample during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest that resilience plays a central role in the mental health of healthcare workers and that resilience-building interventions should be expanded, especially with a focus on younger employees.

The Implication of the First Wave of COVID-19 on Mental Health: Results from a Portuguese Sample

The social conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic had a great potential to affect the mental health of individuals. Meta-analyses indicate a rise in these problems in these periods among general populations, patients and health professionals, even with substantial heterogeneous results. This paper examines mental health impacts specifically during the first wave of COVID-19. An online survey was conducted with a Portuguese convenience sample (N = 1.062) comprising questions about substance use, perceived stress, post-traumatic stress disorder and self-damage behaviors. The results concerning substance use show an extensive use of medication to sleep or calm down, especially among women and older respondents, a small percentage of alcohol consumers with a high pattern of use and less frequent cannabis consumption, even with a quarter of users who began only in the COVID-19 period. The rates of perceived stress and PTSD were higher compared with international prevalence estimations during the pandemic conditions. Both correlated measures were worse for women and young people. Another problematic issue was the rate of suicidal ideation, with a relevant proportion of starters during this period. These data reinforce the need to promote access to mental health services.

The Effect of COVID-19-Related Lifestyle Changes on Depression

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify the effect of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related lifestyle changes on depression.

METHODS

This secondary data analysis study included 229,269 adults from a community health survey conducted in the South Korea in 2020. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire about participants' lifestyle changes related to COVID-19 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The data were analyzed using a complex sample independent t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 48.76; 49.6% were male, and 50.4% were female. The multiple regression showed that depression increased due to COVID-19-related lifestyle changes (physical activity, sleep duration, consumption of convenience foods, alcohol consumption, smoking, and use of public transportation). The explanatory power was 27.3%, and the model was suitable (Wald F=63.75, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study identified the effect of COVID-19-related lifestyle changes on depression, and the results have implications for future depression-relieving interventions.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and related factors among nurses working during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Aim

To analyse the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and examine its related factors among nurses who worked during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic in Daegu, South Korea.

Background

Nurses are a high‐risk population for PTSD, especially during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study was conducted to identify the nursing work environmental factors that should be addressed to reduce PTSD.

Methods

Using a cross‐sectional design, 365 nurses were enrolled. Their characteristics (intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and COVID‐19‐related) and PTSD Checklist‐5 scores were analysed.

Results

The average PTSD score was 14.98 ± 15.94, and 16.5% of the participants had a high risk of PTSD. Nurses were more likely to have PTSD if they were married (odds ratio = 3.02, p = .013) and when nurse managers' abilities, leadership, and support of nurses were low (odds ratio = 3.81, p < .001).

Conclusions

The nursing work environment was found to be associated with PTSD. Therefore, interventions are necessary to increase nurse managers' abilities, leadership, and support for nurses to reduce the risk of PTSD among nurses.

Implications for Nursing Management

Effective professional and social support and interventions to improve nurse managers' abilities, leadership, and support of nurses are needed to reduce PTSD.