Exposure to Potentially Traumatic Events, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Pain Catastrophizing, and Functional Somatic Symptoms Among Individuals With Varied Somatic Symptoms: A Moderated Mediation Model

Event centrality and post-traumatic stress symptoms among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the roles of attention to negative information, catastrophizing, and rumination

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected college students' mental health and caused post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Event centrality is thought to play a key role in the development of PTSS, but it is not yet clear by what mechanism. Theoretically, event centrality may affect the retrieval of traumatic memories and further prompt post-traumatic cognitions to understand events, and so may in turn be associated with PTSS in college students. However, few empirical studies have examined the mediating role of post-traumatic cognitions in the relationship between event centrality and PTSS, especially among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to examine the mediating roles of post-traumatic cognitive factors (e.g. attention to negative information, catastrophizing, and rumination) in the relationship between event centrality and PTSS among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We recruited 1153 college students who completed the pandemic experiences scale, the centrality of event scale, the attention to positive and negative information scale, the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire, and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 during the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020.

RESULTS

In this sample of college students, event centrality directly predicted PTSS, and PTSS was also indirectly predicted by event centrality through attention to negative information, catastrophizing, and rumination.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support the existing literature on the relationship between event centrality, proposed cognitive variables, and PTSS, and shed light on the mechanisms underlying PTSS. Our findings also highlight the importance and applicability of targeted cognitive interventions for PTSS in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HIGHLIGHTS

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused post-traumatic stress symptoms among college students.Event centrality is a risk factor of post-traumatic stress symptoms among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Attention to negative information, catastrophizing and rumination mediate the relationship between event centrality and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Workplace Stress, Presenteeism, Absenteeism, and Resilience Amongst University Staff and Students in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Background: This study explored how the COVID-19 outbreak and arrangements such as remote working and furlough affect work or study stress levels and functioning in staff and students at the University of York, UK. Methods: An invitation to participate in an online survey was sent to all University of York staff and students in May-June 2020. We measured stress levels [VAS-scale, Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ)], mental health [anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9)], physical health (PHQ-15, chronic medical conditions checklist), presenteeism, and absenteeism levels (iPCQ). We explored demographic and other characteristics as factors which may contribute to resilience and vulnerability for the impact of COVID-19 on stress. Results: One thousand and fifty five staff and nine hundred and twenty five students completed the survey. Ninety-eight per cent of staff and seventy-eight per cent of students worked or studied remotely. 7% of staff and 10% of students reported sickness absence. 26% of staff and 40% of the students experienced presenteeism. 22-24% of staff reported clinical-level anxiety and depression scores, and 37.2 and 46.5% of students. Staff experienced high stress levels due to COVID-19 (66.2%, labeled vulnerable) and 33.8% experienced low stress levels (labeled resilient). Students were 71.7% resilient vs. 28.3% non-resilient. Predictors of vulnerability in staff were having children [OR = 2.23; CI (95) = 1.63-3.04] and social isolation [OR = 1.97; CI (95) = 1.39-2.79] and in students, being female [OR = 1.62; CI (95) = 1.14-2.28], having children [OR = 2.04; CI (95) = 1.11-3.72], and social isolation [OR = 1.78; CI (95) = 1.25-2.52]. Resilience was predicted by exercise in staff [OR = 0.83; CI (95) = 0.73-0.94] and in students [OR = 0.85; CI (95) = 0.75-0.97]. Discussion: University staff and students reported high psychological distress, presenteeism and absenteeism. However, 33.8% of staff and 71.7% of the students were resilient. Amongst others, female gender, having children, and having to self-isolate contributed to vulnerability. Exercise contributed to resilience. Conclusion: Resilience occurred much more often in students than in staff, although psychological distress was much higher in students. This suggests that predictors of resilience may differ from psychological distress per se. Hence, interventions to improve resilience should not only address psychological distress but may also address other factors.