Psychometric and factorial validity of the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ) in an Italian sample: A validation and prevalence estimate study.

INTRODUCTION: Adjustment disorder (AjD) is a is a maladaptive emotional or behavioural reaction to a stressful event or change in a person's life. Compared to other previously validated tools, the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ) stands out as one of the most reliable and handy one for AjD. Since no homologous instrument exists now, in this study, we aimed to validate an Italian version of the IADQ. METHODS: Twenty-one thousand two hundred and six subjects (80.4% females) during the initial stages of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were recruited. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), testing two latent models, a monofactorial and a bifactorial one. Concurrent validity by correlating the total and the two factors' scores with measures of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress was then estimated. We finally estimated the rates of AjD among the population, and a binary logistic regression was conducted to analyse the predictors of such disorder. RESULTS: CFA showed a bifactorial validity, with both excellent incremental and comparative fit indices. The IADQ scores correlated strongly with symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. In the Italian sample, the prevalence of probable AjD was 8.23%. Female gender, being engaged, widowed and having COVID-19-related stressors resulted as significant independent risk factors for AjD. CONCLUSIONS: IADQ is an easy-to-use, brief and psychometrically sound self-report measure for AjD. Thus, it may be considered a reliable tool for both research and clinical settings. To the best of our knowledge, our study reported for the first time the prevalence of AjD during COVID-19 pandemic.

Validation of the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire in Israel and Switzerland.

The ICD-11 has introduced a new conceptualization of adjustment disorder (AjD) as a stress response syndrome with core symptoms of preoccupations and failure to adapt to the stressor. The current study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ) in two culturally distinct samples from Israel and Switzerland. Two samples were recruited in Israel (N = 1142) and Switzerland (N = 699) during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a correlated two-factor model provided an excellent fit to the Israeli and Swiss sample data. The IADQ scores correlated strongly with another measure of AjD symptoms and with symptoms of depression, anxiety, acute stress and negative emotions, whereas correlations with posttraumatic stress disorder, complex posttraumatic stress disorder and positive emotions were weaker. In the Swiss sample, 18.8% met diagnostic criteria for probable AjD and 10.2% in the Israeli sample. The current study provides the first evidence of the validity of the German and Hebrew versions of the IADQ and can be used for the screening of this debilitating condition.

Risk and protective factors, stressors, and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic - First results of the ESTSS COVID-19 pan-European ADJUST study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic exposes individuals to multiple stressors, such as quarantine, physical distancing, job loss, risk of infection, and loss of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors potentially lead to symptoms of adjustment disorder. Objective: This cross-sectional exploratory study examined relationships between risk and protective factors, stressors, and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data from the first wave of the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) longitudinal ADJUST Study were used. N = 15,563 participants aged 18 years and above were recruited in eleven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden) from June to November 2020. Associations between risk and protective factors (e.g. gender, diagnosis of a mental health disorder), stressors (e.g. fear of infection, restricted face-to-face contact), and symptoms of adjustment disorder (ADNM-8) were examined using multivariate linear regression. Results: The prevalence of self-reported probable adjustment disorder was 18.2%. Risk factors associated with higher levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder were female gender, older age, being at risk for severe COVID-19 illness, poorer general health status, current or previous trauma exposure, a current or previous mental health disorder, and longer exposure to COVID-19 news. Protective factors related to lower levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder were higher income, being retired, and having more face-to-face contact with loved ones or friends. Pandemic-related stressors associated with higher levels of symptoms of adjustment disorder included fear of infection, governmental crisis management, restricted social contact, work-related problems, restricted activity, and difficult housing conditions. Conclusions: We identified stressors, risk, and protective factors that may help identify individuals at higher risk for adjustment disorder.

Antecedentes: La pandemia de COVID-19 expone a las personas a múltiples factores estresantes, como la cuarentena, el distanciamiento físico, la pérdida del trabajo, el riesgo de infección, y la pérdida de seres queridos. Esta compleja serie de factores estresantes puede potencialmente conducir a síntomas del trastorno de adaptación.Objetivo: Este estudio exploratorio transversal examinó las relaciones entre los factores de riesgo y de protección, los factores estresantes, y los síntomas del trastorno de adaptación durante el primer año de la pandemia de COVID-19.Métodos: Se utilizaron datos de la primera ola del estudio longitudinal ADJUST de la Sociedad Europea de Estudios de Estrés Traumático (ESTSS en su sigla en inglés). N = 15.563 participantes de 18 años o más fueron reclutados en once países (Austria, Croacia, Georgia, Alemania, Grecia, Italia, Lituania, Países Bajos, Polonia, Portugal, y Suecia) de junio a noviembre de 2020. Se examinaron mediante regresión lineal multivariante las asociaciones entre los factores de riesgo y de protección (p. ej., género, diagnóstico de un trastorno de salud mental), factores estresantes (p. ej., miedo a la infección, contacto restringido cara a cara), y síntomas del trastorno de adaptación (ADNM-8 en su sigla en inglés).Resultados: La prevalencia del trastorno de adaptación probable autoinformado fue del 18,2%. Los factores de riesgo asociados con niveles más altos de síntomas del trastorno de adaptación fueron género femenino, edad avanzada, riesgo de enfermedad grave por COVID-19, peor estado de salud general, exposición a un trauma actual o anterior, un trastorno de salud mental actual o anterior, y una exposición más prolongada a las noticias de COVID-19. Los factores de protección relacionados con niveles más bajos de síntomas del trastorno de adaptación fueron mayores ingresos, estar jubilado, y tener más contacto cara a cara con sus seres queridos o amigos. Los factores estresantes relacionados con la pandemia que se asociaron con niveles más altos de síntomas del trastorno de adaptación incluyeron miedo a la infección, manejo gubernamental de crisis, contacto social restringido, problemas relacionados con el trabajo, actividad restringida, y condiciones de vivienda difíciles.Conclusiones: Identificamos factores estresantes, de riesgo, y protectores que pueden ayudar a identificar a las personas con mayor riesgo de trastorno de adaptación.

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 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.

Antecedentes: La actual pandemia de COVID-19 está asociada con una variedad de estresores. Investigaciones preliminares han demostrado que la población general está experimentando una variedad de problemas psicológicos, incluyendo trastornos relacionados con el estrés. Sin embargo, hasta la fecha no hay mucha investigación acerca de la prevalencia de trastornos de adaptación durante la actual pandemia.Objetivos: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la prevalencia y severidad de los síntomas del trastorno adaptativo comparado con los síntomas postraumáticos, depresión y ansiedad generalizada en una gran muestra de adultos polacos, en la primera fase de la actual pandemia.Método: Se recolectó información auto-reportada de una muestra basada en la web (N=1.742) entre el 25 de marzo y el 27 de Abril, justo después de la introducción de medidas de cuarentena a nivel nacional en Polonia.Resultados: La pandemia actual de COVID-19 fue un evento altamente estresante para el 75% de los participantes y el predictor más poderoso de trastorno de adaptación. 49% informó un aumento de síntomas de trastorno de adaptación, y se asociaron con género femenino y no tener trabajo de tiempo completo. Sin embargo, después de la exclusión de la sintomatología concurrente, 14% de la muestra cumplía los criterios para diagnóstico de trastorno de adaptación. Una proporción importante de la muestra tambien resultó positiva para ansiedad generalizada (44%) y depresión (26%): la tasa de diagnóstico presuntivo de TEPT fue de 2,4%.Conclusiones: Se encontraron altas tasas de consecuencias negativas de salud mental en la población Polaca en las primeras semanas de pandemia y medidas de confinamiento por COVID-19. Indican los intensos síntomas actuales relacionados con el estrés en la fase inicial de la pandemia y justifican un mayor seguimiento de la salud mental de la población.

Past Epidemics, Natural Disasters, COVID19, and Mental Health: Learning from History as we Deal with the Present and Prepare for the Future.

As cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue to rise, psychological endurance is a challenge many people will face. For mental health, heightened stress responses to the pandemic, is likely to manifest in three ways: 1) development of a new episode of a disorder in those with a predisposition to a major psychiatric disorder or an acute exacerbation in those who already have such a disorder, 2) development of a trauma or stressor related disorder, such as acute stress disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or adjustment disorders, and 3) development of a symptomatic stress response that does not meet the diagnostic criteria of a psychiatric disorder. The authors reviewed existing literature on past epidemics, natural disasters, and COVID-19 with a focus on psychiatry and mental health. Psychological effects of past epidemics (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV-1, Ebola, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, the Anthrax threat), past natural disasters, and current COVID-19 data suggest numerous psychological effects following the pandemic. Alcohol use, PTSD, anxiety, anger, fear of contagion, perceived risk, uncertainty, and distrust are a few of the immediate and long-term effects that are likely to result from the COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying people in need of mental health care and determining the appropriate psychiatric services and therapy needed will be important. Increasing the use and availability of telehealth, group meetings, and online resources are some ways that health care workers can prepare for the increasing demand of psychiatric services during and following the pandemic.

[Adjustment Disorder, Depression, Stress Symptoms, Corona Related Anxieties and Coping Strategies during the Corona Pandemic (COVID-19) in Swiss Medical Staff]. / Anpassungsstörung, Depression, Stresssymptome, Corona bezogene Sorgen und Bewältigungsstrategien während der Corona Pandemie (COVID-19) bei Schweizer Klinikpersonal.

BACKGROUND: International studies point to increased mental health problems of medical staff during the Corona pandemic (COVID-19). This is the first study to investigate mental health, i. e. adjustment disorder, depression, stress symptoms, Corona related fears as well as coping mechanisms in this group in a German-speaking country. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In April 2020, N=100 subjects were recruited that currently are engaged in a hospital. A series of standardized assessments were included: adjustment disorder (ADNM-20), depression (PHQ-9), stress symptoms and coping strategies (SCI). Currently, cross-sectional data are analyzed, because the study is still going on and longitudinal data is not yet assessed. RESULTS: Frequencies of adjustment disorder and depression are 8 and 15%, respectively. Two hierarchical regression models were run to predict adjustment disorder and depression; predictive power was higher for the first (41 vs. 35%). Fear of infection was reported to be higher regarding one's family than oneself. Nursing staff, those with preloads, and women were found to report more mental health problems. Those with direct contact to people that fell ill with COVID-19 did not differ from those with no direct contact. DISCUSSION: Currently, medical staff has a high risk for being mentally stressed. China, being epidemically experienced, has published principles for psychiatric interventions in January 2020. This might be relevant for Switzerland, too. Specific psychotherapeutic interventions, targeting at cognitive restructuring and sensitizing regarding dealing with alcohol and cigarettes, may be needed in order to protect this vulnerable group of person during and after the Corona pandemic.

Adjustment and coronavirus: How to prepare for COVID-19 pandemic-related adjustment disorder worldwide?

As the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading worldwide in 2020, there is a growing concern about the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Multiple stressors associated with the pandemic, such as health-related stressors, job loss, and work-related stressors, could increase the prevalence of adjustment disorders worldwide. The present article acknowledges adjustment disorder as a highly relevant mental health outcome of the pandemic that should be addressed by mental health professionals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).