A longitudinal study of risk and protective factors for symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused multiple stressors that may lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder.Objective: We longitudinally examined relationships between risk and protective factors, pandemic-related stressors and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as whether these relationships differed by the time of assessment.Method: The European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) ADJUST Study included N = 15,169 participants aged 18 years and above. Participants from 11 European countries were recruited and screened three times at 6-month intervals from June 2020 to January 2022. Associations between risk and protective factors (e.g. gender), stressors (e.g. fear of infection), and symptoms of adjustment disorder (AjD, ADNM-8) and their interaction with time of assessment were examined using mixed linear regression.Results: The following predictors were significantly associated with higher AjD symptom levels: female or diverse gender; older age; pandemic-related news consumption >30 min a day; a current or previous mental health disorder; trauma exposure before or during the pandemic; a good, satisfactory or poor health status (vs. very good); burden related to governmental crisis management and communication; fear of infection; restricted social contact; work-related problems; restricted activity; and difficult housing conditions. The following predictors were associated with lower AjD levels: self-employment or retirement; working in healthcare; and face-to-face contact ≥ once a week with loved ones or friends. The effects of the following predictors on AjD symptoms differed by the time of assessment in the course of the pandemic: a current or previous mental disorder; burden related to governmental crisis management; income reduction; and a current trauma exposure.Conclusions: We identified risk factors and stressors predicting AjD symptom levels at different stages of the pandemic. For some predictors, the effects on mental health may change at different stages of a pandemic.

We longitudinally examined predictors of symptoms of adjustment disorder in 15,563 adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.We found stressors, risk, and protective factors predicting adjustment disorder symptom levels at different stages of the pandemic.For some predictors, the effects appear to change in different phases of a pandemic.

Mental health in Ukraine in 2023.

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about the mental health of the adult population of Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of seven mental health disorders, the proportion of adults screening positive for any disorder, and the sociodemographic factors associated with meeting requirements for each and any disorder. METHODS: A non-probability quota sample (N = 2,050) of adults living in Ukraine in September 2023 was collected online. Participants completed self-report questionnaires of the seven mental health disorders. Logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of the different disorders. RESULTS: Prevalence estimates ranged from 1.5% (cannabis use disorder) to 15.2% (generalized anxiety disorder), and 36.3% screened positive for any of the seven disorders. Females were significantly more likely than males (39.0% vs. 33.8%) to screen positive for any disorder. Disruption to life due to Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine, greater financial worries, and having fewer positive childhood experiences were consistent risk factors for different mental health disorders and for any or multiple disorders. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that approximately one in three adults living in Ukraine report problems consistent with meeting diagnostic requirements for a mental health disorder 18 months after Russia's full-scale invasion. Ukraine's mental healthcare system has been severely compromised by the loss of infrastructure and human capital due to the war. These findings may help to identify those most vulnerable so that limited resources can be used most effectively.

Psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) in 9230 adults across seven European countries: Findings from the ESTSS ADJUST study.

BACKGROUND: The four-item Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) is a widely used screening measure for depression and anxiety. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to test factor structure and measurement invariance in an adult sample of the general population across seven European countries. METHOD: A total sample of 9230 adults, 71.3 % female, Mage = 44.35 (SD = 14.11) from seven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, and Sweden) participated in the study. We applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance testing to evaluate measurement equivalence across countries, gender, and age groups. RESULTS: The CFA yielded that a two-factor PHQ-4 model with separate depression and anxiety factors had the best fit. Partial scalar measurement invariance was established across different groups based on gender, age, and country. CONCLUSIONS: The PHQ-4 is a valid and reliable measure that can be applied to screen for depression and anxiety in the general population. LIMITATIONS: The limitation of the study includes the sampling, which resulted in the sample structure with the majority of females, predominantly of high education and from urban communities.

"I've kept going" - a multisite repeated cross-sectional study of healthcare workers' pride in personal performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: For healthcare workers, working through a pandemic may include both challenges, such as coping with increased demands and a lack of control, and rewards, such as experiencing a sense of achievement and meaningfulness. In this study, we explore the accomplishments healthcare workers themselves are proud of achieving at work, in order to elucidate the positive aspects of working through a pandemic. METHODS: In June 2020 (T1), December 2020 (T2), and May 2021 (T3), healthcare workers (n = 1,996) at four Norwegian hospitals participated in a web-based survey assessing job strain, psychological health, and support during the pandemic. The survey included the open-ended question "During the past two weeks, what have you been feeling proud of achieving at work?". Responses (1,046) to this item were analyzed using conventional content analysis, which resulted in 13 subthemes under 6 themes. RESULTS: For some, pride was found in their professional identity and dedication to their work. Others took pride in specific achievements, such as juggling their own needs (e.g., health, private life) with those of the workplace, contributing to cohesion and collaboration, their ability to learn and adjust, in being a useful resource at work, and in their efforts towards developing the organization and workplace. IMPLICATIONS: The current findings shed light on what healthcare workers feel proud of achieving in their day-to-day work. Assessment of these factors provides insight on both positive and negative aspects of working clinically during a pandemic, and highlights specific targets for building sustainable and rewarding work environments for healthcare workers.

Daily uplifts during the COVID-19 pandemic: what is considered helpful in everyday life?

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of what is uplifting and helpful during pandemics could inform the design of sustainable pandemic recommendations in the future. We have explored individuals' views on helpful and uplifting aspects of everyday life during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Participants answered a brief, daily survey via text messages during 14 consecutive days in July-August, 2020. The survey included the question: "During the past 24 hours, is there anything that has made you feel good or helped you in your life?" We used content analysis to compile responses from 693 participants, who provided 4,490 free-text answers, which resulted in 24 categories subsumed under 7 themes. RESULTS: Positive aspects during the COVID-19 pandemic primarily related to social interactions, in real life or digitally, with family, friends and others. Other important aspects concerning work, colleagues and maintaining everyday life routines. One theme concerning vacations, going on excursions and being in nature. Leisure and recreation activities, such as hobbies and physical exercise, also emerged as important, as did health-related factors. Bodily sensations, thoughts, feelings and activities that benefited well-being were mentioned frequently. Lastly, people commented on the government strategies for containing COVID-19, and whether to comply with restrictions. CONCLUSIONS: To summarize, daily uplifts and helpful aspects of everyday life centered around social relationships. To comply with recommendations on physical distancing, people found creative ways to maintain social connections both digitally and face-to-face. Social interaction, maintenance of everyday life routines, hobbies and physical activity appeared to be important for well-being.

Sexual Violence and Its Associated Psychosocial Effects in Ireland.

Current data on the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of sexual violence in the Republic of Ireland is lacking, with the most recent sexual abuse and violence survey dating back to 2001. The current study sought to identify what proportion of Irish adults have experienced sexual violence, if there are sex differences in exposure to different forms of sexual violence, and to what extent different forms of sexual violence are associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes. To achieve these objectives, we carried out a nationally representative sample of Irish adults (N = 1,020) completed self-report measures of history of sexual violence and mental health. Results suggest that approximately one-in-three (34.4%) Irish adults experienced some form of sexual violence, including 14.8% who were sexually assaulted (raped) and 31.1% who were sexually harassed. Women were significantly more likely than men to have experienced all forms of sexual violence (ps < .001), with the exception of sexual assault by a parent or guardian. All forms of sexual violence were associated with an increased likelihood of serious mental health problems, with sexual assault by a parent/guardian associated with several other psychosocial outcomes in life, including education achievement, history of being taken into state care, salary, and employment status. Sexual violence is a common experience in the general population and women are disproportionately affected (1-in-2 women versus 1-in-5 men). Additional resources to increase mental health care among survivors of sexual violence is urgently needed. How our findings compare to Ireland's previous sexual abuse and violence survey and the implications of our findings for policy are discussed.

A longitudinal assessment of depression and anxiety in the Republic of Ireland before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Few studies have examined changes in mental health before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. We examined changes in the prevalence of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) between February 2019 and March-April 2020; if there were changes in major depression and GAD during six weeks of nationwide lockdown; and we identified factors that predicted major depression and GAD across the six-week lockdown period. Nationally representative samples of Irish adults were gathered using identical methods in February 2019 (N = 1020) and March-April 2020 (N = 1041). The latter was reassessed six weeks later. Significantly more people screened positive for depression in February 2019 (29.8% 95% CI = 27.0, 32.6) than in March-April 2020 (22.8% 95% CI = 20.2, 25.3), and there was no change in GAD. There were no significant changes in depression and GAD during the lockdown. Major depression was predicted by younger age, non-city dwelling, lower resilience, higher loneliness, and higher somatic problems. GAD was predicted by a broader set of variables including several COVID-19 specific variables. These findings indicate that the prevalence of major depression and GAD did not increase as a result of, or during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland.

Complex PTSD symptoms mediate the association between childhood trauma and physical health problems.

The ICD-11 reconceptualized Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a narrowly defined fear-based disorder, and introduced Complex PTSD (CPTSD) as a new diagnosis comprised of PTSD symptoms and symptoms of 'Disturbances in Self-Organization' (DSO) that are more reflective of general dysphoria. Previous research suggests that PTSD symptoms mediate the association between childhood trauma and physical health problems, including cardiovascular disease. No study has yet assessed how posttraumatic stress symptoms, as outlined in the ICD-11, influence the association between childhood trauma and somatic problems in adulthood. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional descriptive study examined whether PTSD and DSO symptoms mediated the associations between childhood physical and sexual abuse and childhood emotional abuse and neglect and somatic problems and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) load in adulthood. METHODS: General adult population samples from Ireland (N = 1020) and the United Kingdom (N = 1051) completed self-report questionnaires online. RESULTS: Structural equation modelling results indicated that PTSD and DSO symptoms fully mediated the association between both forms of childhood trauma and somatic problems, and that PTSD symptoms but not DSO symptoms fully mediated the association between childhood trauma and CVD load. CONCLUSION: Psychological interventions that effectively treat CPTSD symptoms may have the added benefit of reducing risk of physical health problems.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Swedish Version of the Prolonged Grief Disorder-13 (PG-13) in a Bereaved Mixed Trauma Sample.

Background: This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Swedish PG-13 in a bereaved trauma exposed sample. A second aim was to examine the latent structure of prolonged grief using the PG-13. Methods: The participants were adults (n = 123) taking part in an ongoing longitudinal study regarding the effects of potentially traumatic events. Participants had experienced a potentially traumatic event in the past 5 years and had reported a death of a significant other either as their primary traumatic event or in addition to another traumatic event. Assessment included self-report of prolonged grief, posttraumatic stress, and general psychological distress. Clinical interviews were used to assess depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and disability level. The psychometric properties of the Swedish PG-13 were examined through reliability tests and assessment of associations with symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, general psychological distress, and disability level. Principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used to assess the latent structure. Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.86) and test-retest (r = 0.86) reliability were good. PCA suggested a three-factor model as descriptive of the latent structure of the instrument. Therefore, the CFA used this model, as well as two models suggested in the literature. The three-factor model had the best fit to data. Support of concurrent validity of PG-13 was shown by moderate positive associations with measures of posttraumatic stress, depression, and general psychological distress. Conclusions: The Swedish PG-13 demonstrated good psychometric properties, and its use in research and practice to assess prolonged grief was supported. The factor analyses provided stronger support for models with two or three factors, as compared with a unidimensional model of prolonged grief, with the three-factor model having the best fit.

Stressors, coping and symptoms of adjustment disorder in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic - study protocol of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) pan-European study.

BACKGROUND: During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the people in Europe are exposed to self-isolation, quarantine, job loss, risk of contracting COVID-19, or grief of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors may lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder. This research protocol describes a study launched by the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on symptoms of adjustment disorder across European countries. OBJECTIVE: The longitudinal online cohort study aims (1) to explore psychosocial reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic across ten European countries; (2) to examine the relationships between risk and resilience factors, stressors and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the pandemic; and (3) to investigate whether these relationships are moderated by coping behaviours. METHOD: In ten countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden), between 1,000 and 2,000 participants will be recruited, depending on the size of the country. Participants will be assessed at two timepoints with a six-month interval. Following a conceptual framework based on the WHO's social framework of health, an assessment of risk and resilience factors, COVID-19 related stressors and pandemic-specific coping behaviours will be measured to estimate their contribution to symptoms of adjustment disorder. The Adjustment Disorder New Module 8 (ADNM-8) will be used to assess symptoms of adjustment disorder. As a secondary measure, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder will be measure using the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5). DATA ANALYSIS: The relative contribution of risk factors, resilience factors, and stressors on symptoms of adjustment disorder or symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder will be estimated using multilevel analysis. To determine the moderating effects of different types of coping behaviours on these relationships, a multilevel mediation analysis will be carried out.

Antecedentes: Durante la actual pandemia de COVID-19, las personas en Europa están expuestas a autoaislamiento, cuarentena, pérdida de empleo, riesgo de contraer COVID-19 o duelo de sus seres queridos. Un conjunto tan complejo de factores estresantes puede provocar síntomas de trastorno de adaptación o trastorno de estrés postraumático. Este protocolo de investigación describe un estudio lanzado por la Sociedad Europea de Estudios de Estrés Traumático (ESTSS) para investigar el impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en los síntomas del trastorno de adaptación en países europeos.Objetivo: El estudio longitudinal de cohorte en línea tiene como objetivo (1) explorar las reacciones psicosociales a la pandemia de COVID-19 en diez países europeos; (2) examinar las relaciones entre los factores de riesgo y resiliencia, estresores y síntomas de trastorno de adaptación durante la pandemia; e (3) investigar si estas relaciones son moderadas por comportamientos de afrontamiento.Método: En diez países (Austria, Croacia, Georgia, Alemania, Italia, Lituania, Países Bajos, Polonia, Portugal y Suecia) serán reclutados entre 1,000 y 2,000 participantes, dependiendo del tamaño del país. Los participantes serán evaluados en dos momentos con un intervalo de seis meses. Siguiendo un marco conceptual basado en el marco social de salud de la OMS, una evaluación de los factores de riesgo y resiliencia, factores estresantes relacionados con COVID-19 y el comportamiento de afrontamiento específico de la pandemia serán medidos para estimar su contribución a los síntomas de trastorno de adaptación. El nuevo módulo de trastorno de adaptación 8 (ADNM-8) se utilizará para medir los síntomas del trastorno de adaptación. Como medida secundaria, se evaluarán síntomas de trastorno de estrés postraumático usando el cribaje de TEPT en atención primaria para DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5).Análisis de datos: La contribución relativa de los factores de riesgo, factores de resiliencia y los estresores sobre los síntomas de trastorno de adaptación o síntomas de trastorno de estrés postraumático se estimará mediante análisis multinivel. Para determinar los efectos moderadores de diferentes tipos de conductas de afrontamiento en estas relaciones, se llevará a cabo un análisis de mediación multinivel.

Validation of a clinician-administered diagnostic measure of ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD: the International Trauma Interview in a Swedish sample.

Background: The recently published ICD-11 includes substantial changes to the diagnosis of 10 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and introduces the diagnosis of Complex PTSD (CPTSD). The International Trauma Interview (ITI) has been developed for clinicians to assess these new diagnoses but has not yet been evaluated. Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish translation of the ITI by examining the interrater agreement, latent structure, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity. Methods: In a prospective study, 186 adults who had experienced a potentially traumatic event were assessed with the ITI and answered questionnaires for symptoms of posttraumatic stress, other psychiatric disorders, functional disability, and quality of life (QoL). Results: The diagnostic rate was 16% for PTSD and 6% for CPTSD. Interrater agreement was satisfactory (α = .76), and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-factor second-20 order model consistent with the ICD-11 model of CPTSD provided acceptable fit to the data. Composite reliability analysis demonstrated that the ITI possessed acceptable internal reliability, and associations with measures of other psychiatric disorders, insomnia, functional disability, and QoL supported the concurrent validity of the ITI. Conclusion: Swedish ITI shows promise as a clinician-administered instrument to assess and diagnose ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD.

Objetivos: La recientemente publicada CIE-11 incluye cambios sustanciales al diagnóstico de Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT) e introduce el diagnóstico de TEPT Complejo (TEPT-C). La Entrevista Internacional de Trauma (ITI, por su sigla en inglés) ha sido desarrollada para que los clínicos examinen estos nuevos diagnósticos pero no ha sido evaluada aún. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de la traducción sueca de la ITI, examinando el acuerdo inter-evaluador, estructura latente, consistencia interna y validez convergente y discriminante.Métodos: En un estudio prospectivo, 186 adultos que habían experimentado un evento potencialmente traumático fueron evaluados con la ITI y respondieron cuestionarios de síntomas de estrés postraumático, otros trastornos psiquiátricos, discapacidad funcional y calidad de vida (QoL, por su sigla en inglés).Resultados: Las tasas de diagnóstico fueron 16% para TEPT y 6% para TEPT-C. El acuerdo inter-evaluador fue satisfactorio (α = .76), y el análisis factorial confirmatorio indicó que un modelo de dos factores, de segundo orden, consistente con el modelo de la CIE-11 para TEPT-C proporcionó ajuste aceptable a los datos. El análisis compuesto de confiabilidad demostró que la ITI posee consistencia interna aceptable, y las asociaciones con medidas de otros trastornos psiquiátricos, insomnio, discapacidad funcional y QoL respaldaron la validez concurrente de la ITI.Conclusión: La ITI sueca se muestra promisoria como un instrumento administrado por los clínicos para evaluar y diagnosticar TEPT y TEPT-C según la CIE-11.

Similarity in symptom patterns of posttraumatic stress among disaster-survivors: a three-step latent profile analysis.

Background: Individuals express symptoms of posttraumatic stress in various ways, noted for example in the many symptom combinations in the diagnostic manuals. Studies aiming to examine differences of symptom presentations by extracting latent classes or profiles indicate both the presence of subtypes with differing symptomatology and subtypes distinguished by severity levels. Few studies have examined subtype associations with long-term outcomes. Objective: The current study aimed to apply latent profile analysis on posttraumatic stress (PTS) in a highly homogenous sample of Swedish tourists exposed to the 2004 Southeast Asia tsunami and to examine if classes differed in their long-term outcome. Methods: An latent profile analysis was conducted using self-report data collected one year after the disaster from 1638 highly exposed survivors that endorsed ≥ 1 symptom of PTS. Associations were examined between the classes and predictors of PTS (loss of a relative or friend, subjective life threat) and levels of PTS at a three-year follow up. Results: The latent profile analysis indicated four classes: minimal, low, moderate, and severe symptoms. The classes were distinguished mainly by their levels of PTS. Loss of a relative or friend and subjective life threat were associated with a higher likelihood of belonging to any other class than the minimal class. The severity level of the classes at one year were predictive of PTS severity at the three-year follow-up. Conclusions: Homogeneous profiles of posttraumatic stress differing mainly in symptom severity were found in this sample of disaster survivors. Profile diversity may be related to sample variation and unmeasured confounders rather than reflect qualitatively different disorders.

Antecedentes: los individuos expresan los síntomas de estrés postraumático de varias maneras, como se observa, por ejemplo, en las múltiples combinaciones de síntomas de los manuales de diagnóstico. Los estudios que buscan examinar las diferencias en la presentación de los síntomas mediante la extracción de clases o perfiles latentes indican tanto la presencia de subtipos con sintomatología diferente como subtipos que se distinguen por los niveles de gravedad. Pocos estudios han examinado las asociaciones de subtipos con resultados a largo plazo.Objetivo: el estudio actual tuvo como objetivo aplicar el análisis de perfil latente (por su sigla en inglés) sobre el estrés postraumático (STP, por su sigla en inglés) en una muestra altamente homogénea de turistas suecos expuestos al tsunami del sudeste asiático de 2004 y examinar si las clases difirieron en su resultado a largo plazo.Métodos: se llevó a cabo un LPA utilizando datos de auto-reporte recogidos un año después del desastre en 1638 sobrevivientes altamente expuestos que acreditaron uno o más síntomas de PTS. Se examinaron las asociaciones entre las clases y los predictores de PTS (pérdida de un familiar o amigo, amenaza subjetiva a la vida) y los niveles de PTS en un seguimiento a los tres años.Resultados: El LPA indicó cuatro clases: síntomas mínimos, bajos, moderados y graves. Las clases se distinguieron principalmente por sus niveles de PTS. La pérdida de un familiar o amigo y la amenaza subjetiva a la vida se asociaron con una mayor probabilidad de pertenecer a cualquier otra clase que la clase mínima. El nivel de severidad de las clases en el primer año fue predictor de la severidad de PTS en el seguimiento a los tres años.Conclusiones: En esta muestra de sobrevivientes de desastres se encontraron perfiles homogéneos de estrés postraumático que difieren principalmente en la gravedad de los síntomas. La diversidad de perfiles puede estar relacionada con la variación de la muestra y variables confundentes no medidas en lugar de reflejar trastornos cualitativamente diferentes.

Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To date there is a lack of studies assessing the psychometric properties of the recently revised PTSD Checklist (PCL), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The aim of this pilot study was to examine the psychometric properties of the PCL-5 in parents of children with burns. METHODS: The participating parents (N=62, mean age=38) completed self-report questionnaires, 0.8-5.6 years after their child's burn. Measures were the PCL-5, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Burn severity of the child and sociodemographic variables was obtained. RESULTS: The parents' average PCL-5 scores were low to moderate. The internal consistency of the PCL-5 was satisfactory, with Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.56 to 0.77 and mean inter-item correlations ranging from 0.22 to 0.73 for the four PCL-5 subscales and the PCL-5 total. The PCL-5 subscales were moderately to highly correlated with the corresponding IES-R subscales as well as MADRS and PSS (p<0.05), whereas associations with sociodemographics and burn severity were low to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary support for the use of PCL-5. The results indicate satisfactory psychometric properties of the PCL-5 as measured with internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and aspects of convergent validity.