Posttraumatic stress disorder and Adjustment disorder among Covid-19 infected adults and their loved ones

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among covid-19 infected individuals and loved ones. Adjustment disorder (AjD), however, has not been thoroughly studied. Objective: This paper aims to examine PTSD and AjD among covid-19 infected Portuguese adults and their loved ones. Method: Data collected between July and December 2020 from the first wave of the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies' ADJUST study and by the Trauma Observatory of Coimbra were used. The final sample consisted of N = 1945 Portuguese adults. χ2, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to assess differences regarding AjD and PTSD between covid-19 infected and non-infected individuals and within covid-19 infected individuals to several sociodemographic characteristics, but also to access for differences regarding knowing someone infected. Results: The prevalence of AjD and PTSD symptoms in the entire sample was 21.0% (n = 408) and 14.0% (n = 273), respectively. No significant differences were observed between covid-19 infected and non-infected individuals, nor between knowing someone infected or not. Among infected individuals (n = 165), the prevalence of AjD was 26.1% (n = 43) and the prevalence of PTSD was 14.5% (n = 24). Within this group, history of psychiatric disorders revealed differences in AjD, χ2 (2, n=165) =25.46 p <.001, V = .39 and PTSD, χ2 (2, n=165) =14.88, p = .001, V = .30. Severity of infection revealed differences in AjD diagnosis, χ2 (3, n=164) =19.52, p <.001, V= .35. Conclusion: Covid-19 pandemic warrants a need for additional psychological support.