PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the mental health of individuals around the world. Ex-combatants have been repeatedly shown to be increased risk of experiencing social and psychological problems during emergencies. Objectives To compare the severity of overall posttraumatic stres...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822002152/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616955988901888 |
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| author | M. Letica-Crepulja A. Stevanović D. Palaić T. Grahovac Juretić J. Grković I. Rončević-Gržeta |
| author_facet | M. Letica-Crepulja A. Stevanović D. Palaić T. Grahovac Juretić J. Grković I. Rončević-Gržeta |
| author_sort | M. Letica-Crepulja |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the mental health of individuals around the world. Ex-combatants have been repeatedly shown to be increased risk of experiencing social and psychological problems during emergencies.
Objectives
To compare the severity of overall posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and PTSD clusters among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim was to identify coping strategies used and track possible changes during the timeline.
Methods
Male war veterans receiving outpatient treatment at the Referral Center for PTSD were assessed at baseline (t1=12-18 months before the COVID-19 pandemic), during the first lockdown (March-June 2020) and 12 months after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2021). A total of 132 veterans participated in all three measurements. The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and The Brief COPE were used.
Results
Exposure to COVID-19 pandemic related stressors increased over time. The great majority of participants (91.0%) followed the preventive measures. The severity of the overall PTSD symptoms significantly decreased during timeline (t1=56.9, 11.15; t2= 47.24, SD=12.87; t3= 44.1, SD=14.09). At t2, all participants still fulfilled the PTSD diagnostic criteria, and at t3, 23 participants (17.42%) did not meet all of the criteria for PTSD. The participants used adaptive coping rather than dysfunctional coping during the pandemic.
Conclusions
Despite the expectations of worsening the symptoms, help-seeking veterans with PTSD appeared to develop adaptive adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic stressors, which is in line with the results of the recent longitudinal research and will be discussed.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:48:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c649aa820ab3457a951d412bcd582ae5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:48:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-c649aa820ab3457a951d412bcd582ae52023-11-17T05:07:08ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S67S6810.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.215PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort studyM. Letica-Crepulja0A. Stevanović1D. Palaić2T. Grahovac Juretić3J. Grković4I. Rončević-Gržeta5Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry, Rijeka, Croatia Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, Rijeka, CroatiaClinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry, Rijeka, Croatia Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia Faculty of Health Studies University of Rijeka, Department Of Basic Medical Sciences, Rijeka, CroatiaClinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry, Rijeka, CroatiaClinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry, Rijeka, Croatia Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, Rijeka, CroatiaClinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry, Rijeka, Croatia Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, Rijeka, CroatiaClinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry, Rijeka, Croatia Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychological Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the mental health of individuals around the world. Ex-combatants have been repeatedly shown to be increased risk of experiencing social and psychological problems during emergencies. Objectives To compare the severity of overall posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and PTSD clusters among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim was to identify coping strategies used and track possible changes during the timeline. Methods Male war veterans receiving outpatient treatment at the Referral Center for PTSD were assessed at baseline (t1=12-18 months before the COVID-19 pandemic), during the first lockdown (March-June 2020) and 12 months after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-June 2021). A total of 132 veterans participated in all three measurements. The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and The Brief COPE were used. Results Exposure to COVID-19 pandemic related stressors increased over time. The great majority of participants (91.0%) followed the preventive measures. The severity of the overall PTSD symptoms significantly decreased during timeline (t1=56.9, 11.15; t2= 47.24, SD=12.87; t3= 44.1, SD=14.09). At t2, all participants still fulfilled the PTSD diagnostic criteria, and at t3, 23 participants (17.42%) did not meet all of the criteria for PTSD. The participants used adaptive coping rather than dysfunctional coping during the pandemic. Conclusions Despite the expectations of worsening the symptoms, help-seeking veterans with PTSD appeared to develop adaptive adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic stressors, which is in line with the results of the recent longitudinal research and will be discussed. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822002152/type/journal_articleposttraumatic stress disorderCovid-19Veterans |
| spellingShingle | M. Letica-Crepulja A. Stevanović D. Palaić T. Grahovac Juretić J. Grković I. Rončević-Gržeta PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study European Psychiatry posttraumatic stress disorder Covid-19 Veterans |
| title | PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study |
| title_full | PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study |
| title_short | PTSD symptoms and coping before and during COVID-19 pandemic among help-seeking veterans: prospective cohort study |
| title_sort | ptsd symptoms and coping before and during covid 19 pandemic among help seeking veterans prospective cohort study |
| topic | posttraumatic stress disorder Covid-19 Veterans |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822002152/type/journal_article |
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