Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a variety of stressors. Preliminary research has demonstrated that general public are experiencing a range of psychological problems, including stress-related disturbances. However, to date, there is not much research on the prevalence of...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860356 |
| _version_ | 1827964926954569728 |
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| author | Małgorzata Dragan Piotr Grajewski Mark Shevlin |
| author_facet | Małgorzata Dragan Piotr Grajewski Mark Shevlin |
| author_sort | Małgorzata Dragan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a variety of stressors. Preliminary research has demonstrated that general public are experiencing a range of psychological problems, including stress-related disturbances. However, to date, there is not much research on the prevalence of adjustment disorder during the current pandemic. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of symptoms of adjustment disorder compared to posttraumatic symptoms, depression and generalized anxiety in a large sample of adult Poles, in the first phase of the current pandemic. Method: Self-report data from a web-based sample (N = 1,742) was collected between March 25 and April 27, just after the introduction of nationwide quarantine measures in Poland. Results: The current COVID-19 pandemic was a highly stressful event for 75% of participants and the strongest predictor of adjustment disorder. Increased symptoms of adjustment disorder were reported by 49%, and they were associated with female gender and not having a full-time job. However, after exclusion of co-occurring symptomatology, 14% of the sample were finally qualified as meeting diagnostic criteria of adjustment disorder. A substantial proportion of the sample screened also positive for generalized anxiety (44%) and depression (26%); the rate for presumptive PTSD diagnosis was 2.4%. Conclusions: High rates of negative mental health outcomes were found in the Polish population in the first weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures. They indicate the intense current stress-related symptoms in the early phase of the pandemic and warrant further monitoring on population’s mental health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c83745e01dd64bf9bd687a9dd3e827d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:24:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c83745e01dd64bf9bd687a9dd3e827d42023-04-18T14:59:09ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662021-01-0112110.1080/20008198.2020.18603561860356Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemicMałgorzata Dragan0Piotr Grajewski1Mark Shevlin2Faculty of Psychology, University of WarsawFaculty of Psychology, University of WarsawUlster UniversityBackground: The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a variety of stressors. Preliminary research has demonstrated that general public are experiencing a range of psychological problems, including stress-related disturbances. However, to date, there is not much research on the prevalence of adjustment disorder during the current pandemic. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of symptoms of adjustment disorder compared to posttraumatic symptoms, depression and generalized anxiety in a large sample of adult Poles, in the first phase of the current pandemic. Method: Self-report data from a web-based sample (N = 1,742) was collected between March 25 and April 27, just after the introduction of nationwide quarantine measures in Poland. Results: The current COVID-19 pandemic was a highly stressful event for 75% of participants and the strongest predictor of adjustment disorder. Increased symptoms of adjustment disorder were reported by 49%, and they were associated with female gender and not having a full-time job. However, after exclusion of co-occurring symptomatology, 14% of the sample were finally qualified as meeting diagnostic criteria of adjustment disorder. A substantial proportion of the sample screened also positive for generalized anxiety (44%) and depression (26%); the rate for presumptive PTSD diagnosis was 2.4%. Conclusions: High rates of negative mental health outcomes were found in the Polish population in the first weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures. They indicate the intense current stress-related symptoms in the early phase of the pandemic and warrant further monitoring on population’s mental health.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860356covid-19 pandemicadjustment disordergeneralized anxietydepressiontraumatic stress |
| spellingShingle | Małgorzata Dragan Piotr Grajewski Mark Shevlin Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic European Journal of Psychotraumatology covid-19 pandemic adjustment disorder generalized anxiety depression traumatic stress |
| title | Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Adjustment disorder, traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in Poland during an early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | adjustment disorder traumatic stress depression and anxiety in poland during an early phase of the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | covid-19 pandemic adjustment disorder generalized anxiety depression traumatic stress |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860356 |
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