Dataset Information

Disentangling the associations between past childhood adversity and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of specific pandemic stressors and coping strategies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Individuals with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) display heightened symptoms of psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, no study has investigated what aspects of the pandemic are of particular concern for this population and ways in which strategies to coping with pandemic stressors may exacerbate their clinical symptomatology.

Objective

This study explores what pandemic stressors and coping strategies are associated with ACEs, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the COVID-19 pandemic, before investigating whether the identified chief stressors and coping styles mediate the effects of ACEs on depression and PTSD.

Participants and setting

1107 Greek adults were sampled from the general population.

Methods

Participants completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire, Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5, Pandemic Stressor Scale, and Brief Cope Scale.

Results

ACEs and depression were both predominantly associated with difficult housing conditions as a stressor (b = 0.079, p < .001 and b = 0.046, p < .001, respectively), whereas PTSD was mainly related to fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus (b = 0.065, p < .001). Self-blame was the main coping strategy associated with both ACEs (b = 0.046, p = .010), depression (b = 0.071, p < .0005), and PTSD (b = 0.088, p < .0005). Difficult housing conditions and self-blame further demonstrated a significant serial mediation effect in the relationship between ACEs with both depression (b = 0.105, 95% CI [0.0607, 0.158]) and PTSD (b = 0.019, 95% CI [0.011, 0.031]).

Conclusions

The findings indicate that policy makers should identify ways of ameliorating challenging housing conditions, and that service providers should target self-blame in the psychological treatment of adults with ACEs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SUBMITTER: Jernslett M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9113959 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Disentangling the associations between past childhood adversity and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of specific pandemic stressors and coping strategies.

Jernslett Maria M Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous Xenia X Lioupi Chrysanthi C Syros Ioannis I Kapatais Alexandros A Karamanoli Vassia V Evgeniou Eleftheria E Messas Kostas K Palaiokosta Triada T Papathanasiou Eleni E Lotzin Annett A

Child abuse & neglect 20220518

<h4>Background</h4>Individuals with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) display heightened symptoms of psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, no study has investigated what aspects of the pandemic are of particular concern for this population and ways in which strategies to coping with pandemic stressors may exacerbate their clinical symptomatology.<h4>Objective</h4>This study explores what pandemic stressors and coping strategies are associated with ACEs, depression, a ...[more]

PMID: 35605466

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Project description:IntroductionThis study examined whether adverse childhood experiences, positive emotional expressivity in personal (i.e., expressing positive emotions when good things happened to oneself) and social settings (i.e., expressing positive emotions when good things happened to others such as friends or family), and general trust predict levels of happiness and loneliness among American and Japanese participants. We also explored whether these two types of emotional expression and general trust mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and happiness/loneliness.MethodsAmerican and Japanese participants who agreed to participate in the current study first completed the Subjective Happiness Scale. Next, they answered the Emotion Expression Questionnaire, the 5-item General Trust Scale, and the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale. They then responded to the Risky Family Questionnaire. Finally, they answered demographic questions (e.g., age, gender). We hypothesized that regardless of culture, adverse childhood experiences would be negatively (positively) associated with happiness (loneliness), while positive emotional expression in personal and social settings and general trust would be positively (negatively) related to happiness (loneliness). We also predicted that positive emotional expression in both personal and social settings, as well as general trust, would mediate the relationships between adverse childhood experiences and happiness/loneliness.ResultsAs expected, adverse childhood experiences were negatively (positively) associated with happiness (loneliness), while positive emotional expression in personal and social settings and general trust were positively (negatively) related to happiness (loneliness). Besides, positive emotional expression in a personal situation mediated the relationships between adverse childhood experiences and happiness/loneliness, such that greater early life adversity was negatively linked to positive emotional expressivity in a personal setting, which, in turn, predicted lower happiness and higher loneliness.DiscussionThe present study advances the understanding of psychological mechanisms linking adverse childhood experiences to happiness and loneliness by highlighting the significant role of positive emotional expression in a personal situation. This result underscores the importance of developing therapeutic practices and public health strategies that foster authentic emotional expression in response to personal achievement or fortune, regardless of cultural background.

Project description:ImportanceMultivariable comorbidity research indicates that childhood adversity increases the risk for the development of common mental disorders. This risk is explained by underlying internalizing and externalizing transdiagnostic constructs that are amplified by environmental stressors. The differential susceptibility model suggests that this interaction of risk and environment is bidirectional: at-risk individuals will have worse outcomes in high-stress environments but better outcomes in in low-stress environments.ObjectiveTo test the differential susceptibility model by examining how a history of adverse childhood experiences moderates the association between life stress and transdiagnostic psychopathology.Design, setting, and participantsData came from the US National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a population-based observational longitudinal survey administered to adults (≥18 years of age). Participants completed the survey at wave 1 (from 2001 through 2002) and wave 2 (from 2004 through 2005). Responses from 34 458 participants were used for the analyses from March 3, 2017, through October 8, 2018.Main outcomes and measuresLatent variables for internalizing-fear, internalizing-distress, externalizing, and general psychopathology were created to represent continuous levels of psychopathology in each wave. Latent variables were also created to represent continuous levels of life stress at each wave. Level of childhood adversity was characterized based on the number of types of childhood adversity experienced (no [0 types], low [1-2 types], and high [≥3 types] exposure). Analyses examined how the interaction between level of childhood adversity and adult life stress was associated with change in adult transdiagnostic psychopathology factors.ResultsOf the 34 458 participants included in the analysis (58.0% women and 42.0% men; mean [SD] age, 46.0 [17.4] years at wave 1 and 49.0 [17.3] years at wave 2), 40.5% had no adverse childhood experiences, 34.6% had 1 to 2, and 24.9% had 3 or more. At wave 1, 61.5% of the sample endorsed at least 1 stressful life event and 27.2% met criteria for at least 1 mental disorder; at wave 2, these figures were 64.7% and 29.7%, respectively. Childhood adversity moderated the association between changes in adult life stress and changes in all transdiagnostic psychopathology factors. Specifically, higher levels of childhood adversity had a stronger association between adult life stress and adult transdiagnostic psychopathology factors. Further, significant differences between childhood adversity groups occurred in the mean scores of all transdiagnostic psychopathology factors for both increases and decreases in life stress, providing preliminary evidence of differential susceptibility.Conclusions and relevanceResults provide empirical support for childhood adversity as a differential susceptibility factor engendering heightened functional and dysfunctional reactivity to later stress.

Project description:BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unprecedented challenges for health care systems globally. We designed and administered a global survey to examine the effects of COVID-19 on vascular surgeons and explore the COVID-19-related stressors faced, coping strategies used, and support structures available.MethodsThe Pandemic Practice, Anxiety, Coping, and Support Survey for Vascular Surgeons was an anonymous cross-sectional survey sponsored by the Society for Vascular Surgery Wellness Task Force. The survey analysis evaluated the effects of COVID-19-related stressors on vascular surgeons measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. The 28-item Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory was used to assess the active and avoidant coping strategies. Survey data were collected using REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) from April 14, 2020 to April 24, 2020 inclusive. Additional qualitative data were collected using open-ended questions. Univariable and multivariable analyses of the factors associated with the anxiety levels and qualitative analysis were performed.ResultsA total of 1609 survey responses (70.5% male; 82.5% vascular surgeons in practice) from 58 countries (43.4% from United States; 43.4% from Brazil) were eligible for analysis. Some degree of anxiety was reported by 54.5% of the respondents, and 23.3% reported moderate or severe anxiety. Most respondents (∼60%) reported using active coping strategies and the avoidant coping strategy of "self-distraction," and 20% used other avoidant coping strategies. Multivariable analysis identified the following factors as significantly associated with increased self-reported anxiety levels: staying in a separate room at home or staying at the hospital or a hotel after work (odds ratio [OR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.79), donning and doffing personal protective equipment (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.41-2.33), worry about potential adverse patient outcomes due to care delay (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.16-1.87), and financial concerns (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.49-2.42). The factors significantly associated with decreased self-reported anxiety levels were hospital support (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76-0.91) and the use of positive reframing as an active coping strategy (OR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.95).ConclusionsVascular surgeons globally have been experiencing multiple COVID-19-related stressors during this devastating crisis. These findings have highlighted the continued need for hospital systems to support their vascular surgeons and the importance of national societies to continue to invest in peer-support programs as paramount to promoting the well-being of vascular surgeons during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project description:Increasing cases, insufficient amount of personal protection equipment, extremely demanding workloads, and lack of adequate therapies to save lives can contribute to a psychological burden directly related to working during disease outbreaks. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at a high risk of contracting COVID-19 due to its ability to spread efficiently through asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals. There are limited studies assessing the pandemic's psychological impact on HCWs, specifically those in close proximity to hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Our study explored the emotions, perceived stressors, and coping strategies of front-line HCWs at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 during the first surge at our community-based teaching hospital, the epicenter of COVID-19 in Connecticut. A validated comprehensive questionnaire derived and modified from previous epidemics was used to inquire about staff feelings, factors that caused stress and factors that mitigated stress. Personal coping strategies and factors that can increase staff's motivation to work during future events of similar nature were also asked. Emotional reactions, coping mechanisms, and stressors varied by healthcare role, while some experiences and reactions were similar among groups. Willingness to participate in a second wave of the pandemic or future outbreaks is strongly driven by adequate personal protective equipment, financial recognition, and recognition from management, similarly reported in previous disease outbreaks. All groups felt a reduction in stress due to a sense of camaraderie and teamwork, as well as when sharing jokes or humor with colleagues. Our HCWs at high risk of exposure experienced significant emotional distress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. By understanding the needs and experiences of our HCWs at highest risk, we can improve our psychological support using targeted interventions during future waves of this pandemic or similar devastating events.

Dataset Information

Disentangling the associations between past childhood adversity and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of specific pandemic stressors and coping strategies.

Background

Objective

Participants and setting

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Disentangling the associations between past childhood adversity and psychopathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of specific pandemic stressors and coping strategies.

Similar Datasets

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