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OBJECTIVE: The general objective of this study is to analyze the change in mental health and post-traumatic symptoms over 6 months during the COVID-19 pandemic in a Spanish community sample, with a particular focus on individual differences in longitudinal change in symptoms and its predictors. METHOD: This longitudinal prospective study surveyed a Spanish community sample three times (T1: during the initial outbreak, T2: after 4 weeks and T3: after 6 months). Four thousand one hundred and thirty-nine participants from all the Spanish regions completed the questionnaires. However, the longitudinal analysis was performed only with participants which responded at least two times (1,423 participants). Mental health assessments included depression, anxiety, and stress (measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and post-traumatic symptoms were assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). RESULTS: All the mental health variables achieved worse results at T2. Depression, stress, and posttraumatic symptoms did not recover at T3 when compared with the initial measure, while anxiety was practically stable across the timeline. Women, younger age, having a previous mental health diagnosis and contact with individuals with COVID-19 were linked to worse psychological evolution during the 6-months period. A good perception of one's physical health may be a protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: After 6 months of the pandemic, the general population's mental health was still worse than at the initial outbreak for most of the variables analyzed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Introduction: The World Health Organization declared a pandemic due to COVID-19 on 11 March 2020 and remarked on the relevance of studying its consequences on mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the immediate psychological response to the pandemic and quarantine in Spain. Methods: From March 23 to 28, an online survey was conducted in a Spanish community sample. Sociodemographic, health and behavioral variables were surveyed. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), posttraumatic symptoms by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and self-care patterns by the Self-Care Scale (SCS). Results: 3524 respondents were included, 24.1% showed moderate or severe psychological impact, 21.9% reported moderate, severe or extremely severe depression and 32% moderate, severe or extremely severe anxiety. Female gender, younger age, low education, psychiatric diagnosis, worse physical health, contact history, lack of routines, and some psychological symptoms were related to worse psychological responses. Conclusions: This study provides evidence for a negative mental health impact of the pandemic in the Spanish community that started at the early stages and identifies some variables linked to worse psychological response. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) Introduccion: La Organizacion Mundial de la Salud declaro la pandemia por COVID-19 el 11 de marzo de 2020 y subrayo la importancia de estudiar sus consecuencias en la salud mental de la poblacion. Se presenta un estudio transversal evaluando las respuestas psicologicas a la primera ola de la pandemia en Espana. Metodologia: Entre el 23 y 28 de marzo, se realizo una encuesta online en una muestra espanola seleccionada tras un muestreo en bola de nieve. Se recogieron variables sociodemograficas, de salud y comportamentales. Se evaluaron la ansiedad y depresion a traves de la Escala de Depresion, Ansiedad y Estres (DASS-21), los sintomas postraumaticos a traves de la Escala de Impacto del Evento Revisada (IES-R) y los patrones de autocuidado con la Escala de Autocuidado (SCS). Resultados: Se incluyeron 3524 participantes, 24,1 % mostraron sintomas postraumaticos moderados o severos, 21,9 % refirieron sintomas depresivos moderados, severos o extremadamente severos y 32 % sintomas ansiosos moderados, severos o extremadamente severos. El genero femenino, la menor edad, menor nivel educativo, diagnostico psiquiatrico previo, peor salud fisica, contacto con COVID-19, falta de rutinas y algunos sintomas psicologicos se relacionaron con peores respuestas psicologicas. Conclusiones: Se confirma el impacto sobre la salud mental que la primera ola de la pandemia tuvo en Espana y se identifican algunas variables relacionadas con peor respuesta que pueden resultar utiles en la prevencion en salud mental en futuras situaciones equivalentes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization has highlighted the importance of studying the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. The aim of this study is to examine the role of age in the early psychological responses to the pandemic in a Spanish community sample, focusing on how different generations coped with it. METHOD: An online survey was conducted during the early stages of the quarantine. Sociodemographic, health and behavioral variables were compared for five age groups. Mental health was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and psychological impacts were assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). RESULTS: 3,524 participants were included (Mage = 39.24, SDage = 12.00). Participants aged between 18 and 33 years old showed more hyperactivation and evitation, were more depressed, anxious and stressed. Those aged between 26 and 33 years old showed more intrusion. Those aged between 18 and 25 years old suffered more sleep disturbances, claustrophobia and somatization and maintained worse routines. Elderly people showed better psychological responses in general. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides initial evidence that the negative psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic hits young people harder. These results should be taken into account when developing specific evidence-based strategies.