No abstract

Objective: This longitudinal study investigated the predictors of and changes in psychological trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Participants included 236 adolescents (130 males; M age = 16.74 years in spring 2020; 49.6% diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; 16.1% diagnosed with an anxiety or depressive disorder) in the United States who completed online questionnaires at four timepoints (spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021). Results: Repeated measures ANOVA showed that psychological trauma was highest during stay-at-home orders in spring 2020, and decreased for a majority of adolescents by the summer of 2020. However, $20% of adolescents exhibited moderate-to-clinical levels of psychological trauma at each timepoint. Four groups were identified based on the presence of psychological trauma symptoms: (a) resilient group (normal range across all timepoints; 60.6%); (b) moderate fluctuating group (moderate range at 1 or more timepoints; 18.2%); (c) severe fluctuating group (clinical range at 1 or more timepoints; 14.0%); and (d) chronic psychological trauma group (moderate or clinical range across all timepoints; 7.2%). Females, adolescents with preexisting internalizing disorders, and participants whose families were most impacted by the pandemic were more susceptible to experiencing psychological trauma symptoms. Conclusions: Findings highlight at-risk populations and suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in psychological trauma symptoms for approximately 20% of adolescents at some point during the first year of the pandemic. There is critical need to provide mental health services to adolescents, such as through school-based services, to reduce the negative long-term psychological impact of the pandemic. Clinical Impact StatementFemale adolescents, those with preexisting internalizing disorders, and those whose families were most impacted by the pandemic are most vulnerable for displaying psychological trauma symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite decreases in symptoms on average from spring 2020 to spring 2021, approximately 20% of adolescents experienced moderate-to-clinical psychological trauma symptoms at some point in 2020-2021. Addressing this substantial mental health need during the ongoing pandemic, such as through school-based services, is critical. Jasmine Lewis https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5913-6848 Jasmine Lewis served as lead for writing-original draft, contributed equally to conceptualization and writing-review and editing, and served in a supporting role for formal analysis. Srinidhi Jayakumar served in a supporting role for writing-original draft and writing-review and editing. Rosanna Breaux served as lead for formal analysis and contributed equally to conceptualization, funding acquisition, project administration, and writing-review and editing. Melissa R. Dvorsky contributed equally to funding acquisition, project administration, and writing-review and editing. Joshua M. Langberg contributed equally to funding acquisition, supervision, a...

No abstract