INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 05 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 02:30 pm - 03:45 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry \| Addiction/Dependence \| Stress/Coping \| Emotional/Social Processes Final Abstract #101 Loneliness and Fear of COVID-19 Predict PTSD Symptom Severity Camryn Wellman, university of arizona, tucson, United States Lindsey Hildebrand, university of arizona, tucson, United States Alisa Huskey, university of arizona, tucson, United States William Killgore, university of arizona, tucson, United States Gabriela Franca, university of arizona, tucson, United States Melissa Reich-Fuehrer, university of arizona, tucson, United States Kymberly Henderson-Arredondo, university of arizona, tucson, United States Category: Psychiatric Disorders Keyword 1: post-traumatic stress disorder Objective: For many individuals, the COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on mental health. Months of lockdowns, isolation, and drastic changes to usual routines caused severe declines to emotional health. We hypothesized those who were gravely afraid of catching COVID-19 and who were lonelier would report more severe symptoms of PTSD. Participants and Methods: There were 13,332 adults that completed this study, including 7654 females (Mage=37.8, SD=12.7) and 5598 males (Mage=36.4, SD=11.9), with 0.4% of participants who did not indicate their sex. Participants were sent an online survey during several months of the pandemic from April 2020 to April 2021. We sent a COVID-19 questionnaire, where participants were asked how much they agreed with the statement, “I am gravely afraid of catching COVID-19.” We used the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure participants’ subjective feelings of loneliness and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was used to measure PTSD symptom clusters B through E, as defined by the DSM-5. The total scores for both the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the PCL-5 were used in our analysis. We conducted a multiple stepwise regression to determine if feelings of loneliness and fear of contracting COVID-19 during the lockdowns significantly predicted an increase in PTSD symptom severity. Fear-based factors are frequently associated with PTSD severity, so we hypothesized these factors would present a bidirectional relationship. Results: The results of the regression indicated that increased fear of catching COVID-19 (b=0.221) and loneliness (b=0.470) explained 29.4% of the variance (R² =0.294, F(2,10222) = 2130.9, p<0.001) in PCL-5 scores. Loneliness contributed to most of the variance (R² = 0.218, p< 0.001). A second regression was conducted and it was determined that PCL-5 symptoms can significantly account for 7.6% of the variance in the fear of catching COVID-19 (R² =0.076, F(2,10222) = 426.6, p<0.01, b=0.289), however, when loneliness is entered into the model, there is no change in the R² value. Conclusions: Feelings of loneliness and grave fear of contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic lockdowns were associated with PTSD symptom severity. Current research has shown that existing PTSD symptoms contributed to the fear many experienced during lockdowns. This analysis suggested that there is a bidirectional relationship between fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic and symptom severity of PTSD. The unforeseen changes in normal functioning from the lockdown took away interpersonal exchanges and engagement of routine behaviors. This suggests feelings of fear can perpetuate worsening mental health, and being alone in a time of severe and sudden change may further sustain this relationship.

Poster

02/15/2024
02:30 pm - 03:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry | Addiction/Dependence | Stress/Coping | Emotional/Social Processes

Final Abstract #101

Loneliness and Fear of COVID-19 Predict PTSD Symptom Severity

Camryn Wellman, university of arizona, tucson, United States
Lindsey Hildebrand, university of arizona, tucson, United States
Alisa Huskey, university of arizona, tucson, United States
William Killgore, university of arizona, tucson, United States
Gabriela Franca, university of arizona, tucson, United States
Melissa Reich-Fuehrer, university of arizona, tucson, United States
Kymberly Henderson-Arredondo, university of arizona, tucson, United States

Category: Psychiatric Disorders

Keyword 1: post-traumatic stress disorder

Objective:

For many individuals, the COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on mental health. Months of lockdowns, isolation, and drastic changes to usual routines caused severe declines to emotional health. We hypothesized those who were gravely afraid of catching COVID-19 and who were lonelier would report more severe symptoms of PTSD.

Participants and Methods:

There were 13,332 adults that completed this study, including 7654 females (Mage=37.8, SD=12.7) and 5598 males (Mage=36.4, SD=11.9), with 0.4% of participants who did not indicate their sex. Participants were sent an online survey during several months of the pandemic from April 2020 to April 2021. We sent a COVID-19 questionnaire, where participants were asked how much they agreed with the statement, “I am gravely afraid of catching COVID-19.” We used the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure participants’ subjective feelings of loneliness and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was used to measure PTSD symptom clusters B through E, as defined by the DSM-5. The total scores for both the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the PCL-5 were used in our analysis. We conducted a multiple stepwise regression to determine if feelings of loneliness and fear of contracting COVID-19 during the lockdowns significantly predicted an increase in PTSD symptom severity. Fear-based factors are frequently associated with PTSD severity, so we hypothesized these factors would present a bidirectional relationship.

Results:

The results of the regression indicated that increased fear of catching COVID-19 (b=0.221) and loneliness (b=0.470) explained 29.4% of the variance (R² =0.294, F(2,10222) = 2130.9, p<0.001) in PCL-5 scores. Loneliness contributed to most of the variance (R² = 0.218, p< 0.001). A second regression was conducted and it was determined that PCL-5 symptoms can significantly account for 7.6% of the variance in the fear of catching COVID-19 (R² =0.076, F(2,10222) = 426.6, p<0.01, b=0.289), however, when loneliness is entered into the model, there is no change in the R² value.

Conclusions:

Feelings of loneliness and grave fear of contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic lockdowns were associated with PTSD symptom severity. Current research has shown that existing PTSD symptoms contributed to the fear many experienced during lockdowns. This analysis suggested that there is a bidirectional relationship between fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic and symptom severity of PTSD. The unforeseen changes in normal functioning from the lockdown took away interpersonal exchanges and engagement of routine behaviors. This suggests feelings of fear can perpetuate worsening mental health, and being alone in a time of severe and sudden change may further sustain this relationship.