Differences in mental health problems, coping self-efficacy and social support between adults victimised before and adults victimised after the COVID-19 outbreak: population-based prospective study

Abstract

Background Victims of violence, accidents and threats are at risk for mental health problems. Lower coping self-efficacy and social support levels increase this risk. Although highly relevant, it is unknown if the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic amplifies these risks. Aims To examine if the prevalence, incidence and/or mean scores for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression symptoms, general mental health problems, coping self-efficacy, lack of emotional support and social acknowledgement are higher among adults victimised in the year after the COVID-19 outbreak compared with adults victimised in a similar period before the outbreak. Also, to compare symptoms, problems and support within non-victims during the same period. Method Data was extracted from four surveys of the VICTIMS study (March 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), based on a random sample of the Dutch population. Multivariate logistic regression analyses and mixed-effects models were used to examine differences between the two victim groups (2019: n = 421, 2021: n = 319) and non-victims (n = 3245). Results Adults victimised after the outbreak more often had PTSD, anxiety and depression symptoms, general mental health problems and lower coping self-efficacy than those victimised before. They did not differ in lack of support and acknowledgement. Both victim groups differed from non-victims, where mental health problems and lack of support levels were much lower and almost stable. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health and coping self-efficacy levels of victims, whereas mental health problems among non-victims remained virtually stable. Mental healthcare workers, general practitioners and victim services should take this impact into account.

Mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between perceived stress and job burnout among midwives in the post‐COVID‐19 era

“…The most well-known models of social support are main effect and buffering effect models (Zaken et al, 2022), which provide evidence for the mechanism of occupational stress on job burnout. The main effect model holds that social support has a direct impact on individual work and health (van der Velden et al, 2022), which is consistent with the theory of JD-R model. According to the buffering effect model, social support can buffer the negative impact of stressful events on the physical and mental state of individuals, including burnout.…”

The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms (ADS), persistent and chronic ADS among the adult general population and specific subgroups before and during the COVID-19 pandemic until December 2021

“…A previous longitudinal study using the LISS panel showed that adults exposed to potentially traumatic events (e.g. crime, accidents) during the first year after the outbreak more often suffered from ADS and probable PTSD than adults exposed to these events in a similar period before the outbreak ( Van der Velden et al, 2022c ). We did not include a subgroup of students (cf.…”

“…Centerdata received the CoreTrustSeal certification for the LISS Data Archive, based on the World Data System (WDS) of the International Science Council and the Data Seal of Approval (DSA) catalogue and procedures. As described above, this panel was also used in earlier mental health-related COVID-19 studies ( Van Tilburg et al, 2020 ; van der Velden et al, 2020 , van der Velden et al, 2021 , van der Velden et al, 2022a , van der Velden et al, 2022b , van der Velden et al, 2022c ).…”