Posttraumatic Growth in Trauma Recollections of 9/11 Survivors: A Narrative Approach

Social distancing policy and mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: an 18-month longitudinal cohort study in South Korea

Background

Despite the effectiveness of social distancing policies in preventing the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), their impact on mental health remains a concern. Longitudinal studies investigating the psychological effects of social distancing are limited.

Methods

Longitudinal data on psychological variables were collected eight times between May 2020 and November 2021 through online surveys in South Korea.

Results

The participants in the study reported a worsening of depressive and anxiety symptoms, suicide risk, and psychological distress with increasing levels of social distancing. Specifically, during the third wave, when social distancing levels peaked, the highest levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress were observed, and the second-lowest levels of vitality were reported. Furthermore, psychological risk factors, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and suicidal risk, were closely associated with vitality levels in daily life.

Discussions

During the pandemic, although social distancing helped prevent the spread of COVID-19, it also led to increased depression, anxiety, suicide risk, psychological distress, and decreased vitality. Engagement at a personal level in fundamental daily activities is important to cope with psychological distress. Our results indicate that commitment to fundamental daily activities and following routines is an important protective factor against psychological distress, notwithstanding COVID-19.

“This is Going to Stay”: A Longitudinal Mixed Method Pilot Study on the Psychological Impact of Living Through a Pandemic

Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has been proven to have psychological impacts among individuals in both sport and non-sport populations. However, there is little available research comparing athlete and non-athlete populations in this context, especially among a non-western sample. This study employs a novel, longitudinal mixed method sequential explanatory research design to compare the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic between athlete and non-athlete populations and the role of physical activity. Phase A was a quantitative study measuring the psychological impact using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised among both groups ( n   =  32). Phase B was a qualitative study, with a sample ( n  =  7) participating in experiential interviews, exploring the lived experiences of participants over a 7-month period since Phase A was completed. Results indicated that athletes had lower psychological impact of the pandemic compared to non-athletes. Reflexive thematic analysis indicated that over the 7-month longitudinal period, athletes and non-athletes had different experiences across the themes of ‘Appraisal and Coping’, ‘Cognitions’, and ‘Impact of the Pandemic’. Findings show A) a clear longitudinal impact of COVID-19 over a 7-month period; B) there is a clear contrast between sport and non-sport populations, with participants indicating sport and physical activity to be a protective factor limiting negative psychological impact. Findings are discussed with recommendations for physical activity and sport for reducing psychological impact among both athletes and non-athletes.

Longitudinal links between behavioral activation coping strategies and depressive symptoms of U.S. adults living alone during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and related physical distancing measures have posed a significant threat to the mental health of adults, particularly those living alone. Accordingly, the World Health Organization implemented the #HealthyAtHome program, encouraging people to keep in regular contact with loved ones, stay physically active, and keep a regular routine. The current study aims to examine a micro-longitudinal link between behavioral activation coping strategies (exercise, meditation, relaxation, and social connection) and depressive symptoms among adults who lived alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used 21 biweekly waves of longitudinal data from the Understanding America Study (UAS) collected between April 2020 and February 2021 (N = 1,280). The multilevel models with correlated random effects were estimated to examine lagged effects of coping strategies (t-1) on depressive symptoms (t). The results showed that exercise was predictive of lower depressive symptoms even after controlling for time-invariant and time-varying covariates. The results showed that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as taking time to exercise, may be beneficial for the mental health of Americans living in single-person households.

Perspectives of Survivors of the Oklahoma City Bombing with and without PTSD 17 Months Postdisaster: A Qualitative Study

This study compared perspectives of highly trauma-exposed Oklahoma City bombing survivors (N=141) with and without PTSD. Survivors' responses to questions about the effects of the bombing on their perspectives were hand-recorded and transcribed, six themes identified, and interrater reliability established. Both diagnostic groups (with and without PTSD) expressed greater appreciation for life, greater concern with human vulnerability and mortality, and positive changes in religion/spirituality as consequences of the bombing. Survivors with PTSD also expressed negative religious/spiritual changes and substantive gains in self-confidence. Results indicate that disaster survivors may experience profound changes in their perspectives with ramifications for their mental health.

Psychological distress related to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic and coping strategies among general population in Egypt

BACKGROUND

Psychological distress is considered a threat to the mental health of human beings. This research was conducted at the beginning of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, when most people had limited knowledge about coronavirus, mode of transmission, associated manifestations, with uncertainty about treatment, vaccine, future life, and coping capacity. This study examined the nature of the psychological distress related to the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and coping strategies adopted among the general population in Egypt.

METHODS

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study assessing a convenience sample consisting of 312 participants from the general population in Egypt. Data were gathered as online responses to a questionnaire which incorporated a sociodemographic datasheet, psychological distress scale, and ways of coping scale.

RESULTS

Forty-two percent of the participants showed severe psychological distress and 26% showed mild to moderate psychological distress. There was a strong positive correlation between the distress score and the overall coping score-that is, the higher the distress, the more ways of coping were adopted (p < 0.001). This study also showed that the methods of adaptation used by most of the population were based on emotional coping strategy. The most adaptive people were those who work in the health field and the residents in the cities with a monthly income sufficient enough to meet their needs; better adaptation methods were also seen among both divorced and highly educated people. We also found a significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristics except for sex and overall coping methods (p < 0.001). Further, significant relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and psychological distress were observed (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Most of the study population as a sample of the general population in Egypt reported suffering from varying degrees of psychological distress during the COVID-19 crisis. However, the more severe an individual's level of psychological distress, the greater their adaptation ability was. This study focuses light on the importance to provide appropriate interventions against COVID-19-related stresses and equipping people with suitable strategies for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Longitudinal Study of the Psychological Impact of the Contingency Response to COVID-19 in Mexico

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have implemented prevention and care measures, among which voluntary confinement stands out. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychological impact of the contingency response due to COVID-19 in Mexico, considering time and level of confinement, participation in pleasurable activities during confinement, and responses derived from the economic recovery plan of the government. The study had a longitudinal design with two evaluations involving 158 people from 17 to 76 years of age who answered the questionnaires within 9 weeks. People with high confinement levels showed significant differences in positive affect, stress, and depression; people with low confinement levels and those who continued to work showed greater affection. Those who reported not having participated in pleasant activities during their confinement showed low results, and those who reported having been more worried about the economic recovery plan had a higher score in worry and a lower score in life satisfaction. It can be concluded that although psychological support interventions should focus on people in confinement, greater efforts that contribute to improving quality of life and well-being should be directed to those who work during public health contingency responses.

Maternal psychological growth following childbirth

Although maternal postpartum mental health has been extensively studied, rather little is known regarding the factors that may facilitate psychological growth following childbirth. The present study set forth to examine various pre-birth, birth, and post-birth correlates of overall psychological growth and growth domains in postpartum women, assessed within the first months following childbirth. A sample of 428 women completed self-report measures pertaining to psychological growth, mental health, maternal attachment, and childbirth characteristics. We found that the majority of women reported psychological growth following childbirth, with those experiencing stressors in childbirth reporting the highest levels of appreciation for life. In regression analyses, postpartum factors were significantly associated with overall growth and growth domains, taking into account other factors. The more the childbirth was perceived as central to the mothers' identity and the better the maternal attachment was to the child, the higher levels of growth. Growth was also negatively related to endorsement of childbirth PTSD. Background factors, such as maternal age, education, and prior mental health, were associated with specific growth domains, although the association was small and there was no association with overall growth. Post-birth factors are important in ensuing psychological growth in the first months following birth. Attention to opportunities of growth following childbirth is warranted in clinical care, in particular following traumatic childbirth.

Traumatic memories of childbirth relate to maternal postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder

The trauma memory is a crucial feature of PTSD etiology and maintenance. Nonetheless, the nature of memories associated with childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD) requires explication. The present study, as part of a larger project on psychological outcomes of childbirth, utilized a multi-method approach to characterize childbirth memories in relation to CB-PTSD symptoms. We here assessed 413 women who completed self-report measures pertaining to CB-PTSD, postpartum depression, and childbirth memories. Additionally, a subset of 209 women provided written childbirth narratives, analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software. Women endorsing CB-PTSD symptoms on the PTSD-Checklist (PCL)-5 reported more incoherent childbirth memories with more emotional and sensory details, and more frequent involuntary recall and reliving of the memory. They also indicated the childbirth experience was more central to their identity. Written narratives in those with probable CB-PTSD were characterized by less (positive) affective processes, and more cognitive processes. We infer that childbirth memories in women who endorse symptoms of CB-PTSD in the early postpartum period resemble those described in the general PTSD literature. This suggests that childbirth may be experienced as traumatic and evoke a traumatic memory, implicated in symptom endorsement. Opportunities for therapeutic interventions modifying traumatic memories of childbirth in women at risk for CB-PTSD need to be investigated. Future research examining characteristics of traumatic childbirth memories is needed to advance our understanding of this overlooked postpartum condition.

Parenting stress and risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A family stress theory-informed perspective

The risk of child maltreatment is heightened during the pandemic due to multiple COVID-19 related stressors, such as physical and mental health concerns, economic stress, challenges in homeschooling, marital conflicts and intimate personal violence, and intensified child–parent relationships. Both parental internal (e.g., parenting styles) and external resources (e.g., social support), and parental perceptions toward stressors will affect how parents cope with these stressors, which may exacerbate or mitigate the risk of child maltreatment. Guided by family stress theory, this article identifies COVID-19 related stressors at the family level, and further elaborates on how these stressors are associated with child maltreatment via parents’ resources, perceptions, and coping strategies. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.

Couple satisfaction and impact of confinement by COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between marital satisfaction, measured by the Relationship Assessment Scale, and the perceived impact of confinement due to COVID-19 in different areas of people’s lives, in a Mexican sample. Method: 101 people living as a couple, with an average age of 41.2 years (SD = 10.7), 54.5% women, and 45.5% of men were evaluated. Results: The main result was a negative and significant correlation that indicates that the greater the satisfaction in the relationship, the less impact of confinement in the areas of tranquility, happiness, health, physical condition, and emotional well-being. Conclusion: The people with higher marital satisfaction will perceive less impact during the contingency by COVID-19 in the different areas of the person's life.

A Therapist’s Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth and Transformation of Self

The South Korean Sewol ferry sank off the Jindo Island in April 2014, with the loss of 304 lives. Of those who died, 250 were students from Danwon High School. Our study examined the tragedy and detailed experiences of the therapist who helped the bereaved families. It employed an idiographic approach that allowed the therapist to speak the language of her consciousness, personal growth, and meaning making. We conducted a critical narrative analysis to integrate individual dialogues and institutional discourses. The results revealed the therapist’s motives for commencing therapy post the Sewol tragedy, her projective identification with adolescent siblings of victims, ambivalence toward their parents, and an awakening that trauma and loss can be framed within a larger sociocultural context. The process transformed the self-of-the-therapist and helped her redefine the role of trauma therapists. The therapist’s critical reflection on macro–micro interconnection and vicarious posttraumatic growth were also discussed. The results suggest therapeutic implications for trauma professionals at both the individual and system levels.

Posttraumatic Growth Experiences of Syrian Refugees After War

War is a type of trauma that humans have experienced for centuries. Today, the civil war in Syria affects millions of people’s lives deeply and is forcing civilians to migrate to other countries. The aim of the current study is to reveal how Syrian refugees cope with war trauma, what kinds of social support they get, and what posttraumatic growth experiences they have shown. Fifteen Syrian refugees who migrated from Syria to Turkey due to the war and witnessed the war participated in this study. Data were collected through interviews. In analyzing the data, a content analysis was used by creating themes and categories. Themes created include coping strategies, social support, learned pain experiences, relating to others, new possibilities, spiritual change, and changed priorities. These results show that after a traumatic experience, great changes can occur in people’s life. Findings are discussed and recommendations are given in line with the literature.

PTSD in Court II: Risk factors, endophenotypes, and biological underpinnings in PTSD

The second article in the series of three for the journal on "PTSD in Court" especially concerns the biological bases that have been found to be associated with PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). The cohering concepts in this section relate to risk factors; candidate genes; polygenetics; "gene×environment" interactions; epigenetics; endophenotypes; biomarkers; and connective networks both structurally and functionally (in terms of intrinsic connectivity networks, ICNs, including the DMN, SN, and CEN; that is, default mode, salience, and central executive networks, respectively). Risk factors related to PTSD include pre-event, event- and post-event ones. Some of the genes related to PTSD include: FKBP5, 5-HTTLPR, and COMT (which are, respectively, FK506-binding protein 5 gene, serotonin-transporter linked polymorphic region, catechol-O-methyl-transferase). These genetic findings give an estimate of 30% for the genetic influence on PTSD. The typical brain regions involved in PTSD include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, along with the insula. Causal models of behavior are multifactorial and biopsychosocial, and these types of models apply to PTSD, as well. The paper presents a multilevel systems model of psychopathology, including PTSD, which involves three levels - a top-down psychological construct one, a bottom-up symptom connection one, and a middle one involving symptom appraisal. Legally, causality refers to the event at issue needing to meet the bar of being materially contributory to the outcome. Finally, this section of the article reviews empirically-supported therapies for PTSD and the dangers of not receiving treatment for it.