Guttmann-Ducke Claudia, Klinger Sonja, Ziesche Rolf, Otzelberger Bernd, Idzko Marco, Ponocny Armin, Prantl Simon Gabriel, Ponocny-Seliger Elisabeth
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Faculty of Psychology, Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna, Austria.
Front Psychiatry. 2023 Feb 8;14:1129794. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1129794. eCollection 2023.
Symptoms of mental stress are a hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that just testing for COVID-19 could act as an effective stressor for persisting symptoms of mental distress including posttraumatic stress disorder. Our study aimed to determine whether personal beliefs on individual control and competence (locus of control, LoC) correlate with symptoms of mental distress and positive screening for post-traumatic stress disorder during a 9-month observational period.
Between March and December 2021, we applied online versions of the Questionnaire on Competence and Control Expectations (FKK), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Score (DASS), the Short Screening Scale for DSM-IV Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and a medical history questionnaire for COVID-19 symptoms (visit 1). 48 hours after negative COVID-19 testing, DASS was repeated to address relief effects on mental distress (visit 2). Following 90 days (visit 3), development of mental distress was addressed by a combination of DASS and PTSD, while the possible long-term manifestation of PTSD was evaluated 9 months later (visit 4).
At visit 1, 7.4 percent of the total sample ( = 867) demonstrated a positive screening for PTSD, while after nine months (at visit 4), 8.9 percent of the remaining sample ( = 204) had positive screening results. The mean age was 36.2 years; 60.8% were women, 39.2% men. In contrast to individuals with negative PTSD screening, these participants demonstrated a significantly different LoC personality profile. This was confirmed by the results of both DASS and the COVID-19 medical history questionnaire.
Following testing for COVID-19, individuals with positive long-term PTSD screening present with significantly different personality traits than those w/o suggesting that self-confidence and effective control over one's own actions serve as a protective function against mental distress.
精神压力症状是新冠疫情的一个标志。我们推测，仅仅是新冠病毒检测本身就可能成为一种有效的压力源，导致包括创伤后应激障碍在内的持续性精神痛苦症状。我们的研究旨在确定个人对个人控制和能力的信念（控制点，LoC）在9个月的观察期内是否与精神痛苦症状以及创伤后应激障碍的阳性筛查相关。
在2021年3月至12月期间，我们应用了能力与控制期望问卷（FKK）、抑郁、焦虑和压力评分（DASS）、DSM-IV创伤后应激障碍简短筛查量表（PTSD）的在线版本，以及一份关于新冠症状的病史问卷（第一次访视）。在新冠病毒检测呈阴性48小时后，再次进行DASS测试以评估对精神痛苦的缓解效果（第二次访视）。90天后（第三次访视），通过DASS和PTSD的综合评估来了解精神痛苦的发展情况，同时在9个月后评估PTSD可能的长期表现（第四次访视）。
在第一次访视时，总样本（n = 867）中有7.4%的人PTSD筛查呈阳性，而9个月后（第四次访视），剩余样本（n = 204）中有8.9%的人筛查结果为阳性。平均年龄为36.2岁；60.8%为女性，39.2%为男性。与PTSD筛查呈阴性的个体相比，这些参与者表现出明显不同的LoC人格特征。这一点在DASS和新冠病史问卷的结果中都得到了证实。
在进行新冠病毒检测后，长期PTSD筛查呈阳性的个体与未呈阳性的个体相比，表现出明显不同的人格特质，这表明自信和对自身行为的有效控制对精神痛苦具有保护作用。
