Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Sense of Gains and Losses during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Study

Abstract

This study was primarily designed to investigate the perception of changes in selected areas of life experienced by adults of various nationalities in connection to the long-lasting COVID-19 pandemic. The second objective was to identify the factors increasing the risk of perception of negative changes in life during the pandemic. The tools applied in the study include a self-report questionnaire designed to measure sociodemographic data and health status of the subjects, COVID-19 Sense of Life Changes Questionnaire, as well as the Impact of Event Scale: Revised. The study involved over 600 adult subjects. With increased intensity of intrusions, the likelihood of negative perception of the changes emerging as a result of the pandemic was reduced by approximately 7%, whereas a higher intensity of hyperarousal increased that risk. Individuals reporting a sense of negative changes presented a greater degree of hyperarousal compared to those reporting positive changes. In the group of subjects perceiving the changes in a positive way, increasing the intensity of intrusion and/or hyperarousal corresponded to a growing conviction about a negative nature of life changes concerning the relationship with their partner and affecting their work as well as regarding a positive meaning of the changes in relations with their parents and in daily life. Generally, there was a prevailing sense of negative changes; however, there was also a group of subjects that perceived these as positive. Intrusions and hyperarousal in certain individuals may play a role in motivating them to take action in protecting against effects of the pandemic and, in others, may lead to frustration and anxiety.

Intrapersonal and interpersonal level factors influencing self-care practices among Hong Kong individuals with COVID-19—A qualitative study

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Gebelik Kaybı Sonrası Akut Stres Bozukluğunun Değerlendirilmesi

“…A significant association was found between the miscarriage or stillbirth in the participants' history and the mean score they achieved on the PTSD scale. Examining data from two population-based cross-sectional studies, Szepietowska et al found that pregnancy loss and risk for psychiatric disorders increased in their study (12). In addition, earlier pregnancy loss has been shown to negatively affect mood and psychological well-being, particularly in young women (13).…”

Greater knowledge about COVID-19, more negative emotions. Research in adult Poles after 2nd and 5th waves of the pandemic

“…There was also a change in the emotional representation of the disease. Initial increase in negative emotions [23,31] was followed with a slight decrease in the negative perceptions of COVID-19 [4], and even with a sense of positive changes in life [32]. However, a meta-analysis [33] of research reports focusing on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that stress and mental burden in this case were comparable to war time experiences.…”