More fear reduction, better posttraumatic stress symptoms resilience: 1 year longitudinal study based on the psychological trauma recover project-5-6.

OBJECTIVE: The outbreak of COVID-19 not only raised public health concerns but also caused tremendous psychological distress. Deficits in fear played a role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). We aimed to investigate the relationship between fear and PTSS during COVID-19 at two points. METHOD: The questionnaire at the first time of investigation (T1) was conducted through WeChat or phone from January 30, 2020 to February 25, 2020 as part of the psychological trauma recover project-5-6 in China. And the questionnaire at the second time of investigation (T2) was collected from March 17, 2021 to June 17, 2021. After 12 months, data from 150 participants were included in the final analysis. Fear was measured by a self-reported question. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) was designed to assess PTSS. Pearson correlation, multivariate regression analysis, and multiple mediator model were used as statistical analyses. RESULTS: Fear reduced significantly over time. Participants with higher fear presented worse PTSS in both T1 and T2. Positive correlations between fear and PTSS of participants were found over time. Occupation and change of fear are significant predictors in the severity of PTSS over time. Change of fear partially mediated the relationship between the PCL-5 total score in T1 and the development of PTSS. CONCLUSION: Fear reduction was beneficial to trauma resilience. Future interventions could be developed to reduce excessive fear in facing natural disasters or following epidemics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

One-quarter of COVID-19 patients developed PTSD symptoms: A one-year longitudinal study.

This study investigated the longitudinal development of PTSD symptoms and respiratory sequelae among COVID-19 patients one year after hospital discharge. The cumulative occurrence of probable PTSD in COVID-19 survivors (n = 329) was 26.7%, which significantly decreased over the 12-month period (23.1% to 4.3%). Non-severe patients showed marked improvement in all four clusters of PTSD symptoms at 12 months compared to 3 months, while severe patients only showed improvements in re-experiencing and numbing symptoms. Moreover, being female and having respiratory sequelae increased the risk for chronic PTSD. Psychological interventions are required for COVID-19 patients during long-term convalescence.

The increase of PTSD in front-line health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the mediating role of risk perception: a one-year follow-up study.

The long-term health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers (HCWs) are largely unclear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in HCWs in a longitudinal manner. Additionally, we further explored the role of risk perception in the evolution of PTSD over time based on a one-year follow-up study. HCWs were recruited from hospitals in Guangdong, China. Demographic information, the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the risk perception questionnaire were obtained online at two different time points: May to June 2020 (T1), with 317 eligible responses, and June 2021 (T2), with 403 eligible responses. Seventy-four HCWs participated in the survey at both T1 and T2. The results revealed that (1) the PTSD prevalence rate in the HCWs (cut-off = 33) increased from 10.73% at T1 to 20.84% at T2, and the HCWs reported significantly higher PTSD scores at T2 than at T1 (p < 0.001); (2) risk perception was positively correlated with PTSD (p < 0.001); and (3) PTSD at T1 could significantly positively predict PTSD at T2 (ß = 2.812, p < 0.01), and this longitudinal effect of PTSD at T1 on PTSD at T2 was mediated by risk perception at T2 (coefficient = 0.154, 95% CI = 0.023 to 0.297). Our data provide a snapshot of the worsening of HCWs' PTSD along with the repeated pandemic outbreaks and highlight the important role of risk perception in the development of PTSD symptoms in HCWs over time.

The Hidden Factors Affecting Academic Performance Among Chinese Middle School Students: Traumatic Experience and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The role of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the path from traumatic exposure (TE) to academic performance (AP) is still not explicitly illustrated. The current study aimed to examine the moderator role of PTSD on the relationship between TE and AP, and then to investigate whether this moderator role is influenced by gender. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A sample of Chinese students (n=235) who had experienced the major earthquake of Wenchuan was chosen. PTSD and TE were measured by the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) and an earthquake-related experience questionnaire, respectively. AP was collected from their up-to-date general examination. Data for 221 participants (53.4% female; mean age=14.03 years, SD=0.824) were finally included in the analysis. Parsimonious latent-variable interaction analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were adopted to examine the moderator role of PTSD. RESULTS: The average IES-R score was 27.57 (SD=13.265, range 0-67). The average score for earthquake exposure was 5.86 (SD=2.069, range 1-12). The results showed that both TE and the interaction term of PTSD*TE had significant negative correlations with AP, while PTSD was not associated with AP. Subsequent hierarchical regression analysis found that the relationship of the interaction term and AP was only significant in female students, and a simple slope plot showed a distinct pattern of the moderating effect of PTSD in both genders. CONCLUSION: This study supported that PTSD moderated the connection between TE and AP in middle school students who had undergone a major earthquake trauma, which was influenced by gender. Students who experienced major trauma with drastic exposure history and manifested PTSD symptoms need specified intervention to avoid further deterioration in performance in school.

Efficacy of the Chinese version interpretation bias modification training in an unselected sample: A randomized trial.

Training individuals to interpret ambiguous information in positive ways might be an effective method of reducing social anxiety. However, little research had been carried out in Chinese samples, and the effect of interpretation training on other processes such as attentional bias also remained unclear. This study examined the effect of interpretation bias modification program (IMP) on interpretation bias, social anxiety and attentional bias, and the possible mediation effects. 51 healthy adults were randomly assigned to either a 5-session IMP training that guided them to endorse benign interpretation in ambiguous scenarios or an interpretation control condition (ICC). Self-reported measures of social anxiety symptoms, attentional bias and interpretation bias were evaluated before and after training. Results showed that compared to control group, IMP group generated more positive interpretations and less negative interpretations after training (F(1,49) = 7.65, p<0.01, ηp2 = 0.14; F(1,49) = 14.60, p<0.01, ηp2 = 0.23respectively). IMP yielded greater interpretation bias reduction (F(1,49) = 12.84, p<0.01, ηp2 = 0.21) and social anxiety reduction (F(1,49) = 21.39, p<0.01, ηp2 = 0.30) than ICC, but change in attentional bias was not significant between IMP and the control group. Change in interpretation bias did not show a significant mediation effect in the relationship between training condition and social anxiety reduction. This study provided preliminary evidence for the efficacy of the Chinese version of IMP training. Possible methodological issues and interpretations underlying the findings were discussed. This study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chitr.org.cn), a WHO approved registry. The title of registration trial was "A Study on the efficiency of cognitive bias and attentional bias training on fear and phobia" and the registration number was ChiCTR2100045670.

Military-related posttraumatic stress disorder and mindfulness meditation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant global mental health concern, especially in the military. This study aims to estimate the efficacy of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of military-related PTSD, by synthesizing evidences from randomized controlled trials. METHODS: Five electronic databases (Pubmed, EBSCO Medline, Embase, PsychINFO and Cochrane Library) were searched for randomized controlled trials focusing on the treatment effect of mindfulness meditation on military-related PTSD. The selection of eligible studies was based on identical inclusion and exclusion criteria. Information about study characteristics, participant characteristics, intervention details, PTSD outcomes, as well as potential adverse effects was extracted from the included studies. Risk of bias of all the included studies was critically assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. R Statistical software was performed for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1902 records were initially identified and screened. After duplicates removal and title & abstract review, finally, 19 articles in English language with 1326 participants were included through strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results revealed that mindfulness meditation had a significantly larger effect on alleviating military-related PTSD symptoms compared with control conditions, such as treatment as usual, present-centered group therapy and PTSD health education (standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.33; 95% CI [-0.45, -0.21]; p < 0.0001). Mindfulness interventions with different control conditions (active or non-active control, SMD = -0.33, 95% CI [-0.46, -0.19]; SMD = -0.49, 95% CI [-0.88, -0.10], respectively), formats of delivery (group-based or individual-based, SMD = -0.30, 95% CI [-0.42, -0.17], SMD = -0.49, 95% CI [-0.90, -0.08], respectively) and intervention durations (short-term or standard duration, SMD = -0.27, 95% CI [-0.46, -0.08], SMD = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.21], respectively) were equally effective in improving military-related PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Findings from this meta-analysis consolidate the efficacy and feasibility of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of military-related PTSD. Further evidence with higher quality and more rigorous design is needed in the future.

PTSD: Past, present and future implications for China.

There has been a long history since human beings began to realize the existence of post-traumatic symptoms. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a diagnostic category adopted in 1980 in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Ⅲ, described typical clusters of psychiatric symptoms occurring after traumatic events. Abundant researches have helped deepen the understanding of PTSD in terms of epidemiological features, biological mechanisms, and treatment options. The prevalence of PTSD in general population ranged from 6.4% to 7.8% and was significantly higher among groups who underwent major public traumatic events. There has been a long way in the studies of animal models and genetic characteristics of PTSD. However, the high comorbidity with other stress-related psychiatric disorders and complexity in the pathogenesis of PTSD hindered the effort to find specific biological targets for PTSD. Neuroimage was widely used to elucidate the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of PTSD. Functional MRI studies have showed that PTSD was linked to medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and sub-cortical structures like amygdala and hippocampus, and to explore the functional connectivity among these brain areas which might reveal the possible neurobiological mechanism related to PTSD symptoms. For now, cognitive behavior therapy-based psychotherapy, including combination with adjunctive medication, showed evident treatment effects on PTSD. The emergence of more effective PTSD pharmacotherapies awaits novel biomarkers from further fundamental research. Several natural disasters and emergencies have inevitably increased the possibility of suffering from PTSD in the last two decades, making it critical to strengthen PTSD research in China. To boost PTSD study in China, the following suggestions might be helpful: (1) establishing a national psychological trauma recover project, and (2) exploring the mechanisms of PTSD with joint effort and strengthening the indigenized treatment of PTSD.

The influence of risk perception for COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress disorder in healthcare workers: A survey from four designated hospitals.

The aim of current study was to investigate risk perception of COVID-19 pandemic, sleep quality and time change of leisure activity and their correlations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in healthcare workers (HCWs) from four designated hospitals in China. Medical staffs (n = 317) from three designated hospitals in Guangdong Province and one designated hospital in Guangxi Province were surveyed on their demographic information, sleep quality and time change of leisure activity, risk perception of pandemic and PTSD symptoms (by using PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)). Hierarchical regression and structural equation model (SEM) were used to examine the correlated factors of PTSD. The prevalence of high level of PTSD symptoms (PCL-5 > =33, a probable diagnosis of PTSD) was 10.7%. Regression analysis found that risk perception (dread: ß = 0.142, p < 0.01; familiarity: ß = 0.203, p < 0.01), sleep quality (ß = 0.250, p < 0.001), time change of leisure activity (ß = -0.179, p < 0.01), were independently correlated with PTSD severity, which was further confirmed by SEM. Locations of COVID-19-related hazards were significant different in cognitive map of risk perception between groups with high and low levels of PTSD symptoms. Risk perception of COVID-19 pandemic influenced PTSD symptoms in HCWs. Adequate time for leisure activity and good sleep quality protected some HCWs against PTSD symptoms under the influence of pandemic. More researches were warranted to understand the path from pre-factors of risk perception to its psychological consequences among HCWs.

Prevalence and risk factors for acute posttraumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 outbreak.

BACKGROUND: To examine the prevalence of and risk factors for acute posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) shortly after the massive outbreak of COVID-19 in China. METHODS: An online anonymous survey was conducted between 30 January and 3 February, 2020. The survey included two self-administered questionnaires: one collected personal information (gender, age, education background), current location, recent epidemic area contact history, the classification of population, and subjective sleep quality; the other was the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). RESULTS: A total of 2091 Chinese participated in the current study. The prevalence of PTSD among the Chinese public one month after the COVID-19 outbreak was 4.6%. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that gender (p < 0.001), epidemic area contact history (p = 0.047), classification of population (p < 0.001), and subjective sleep quality (p < 0.001) could be regarded as predictors for PTSD. LIMITATIONS: First, the majority of participants in this study were the general public, with confirmed or suspected patients being a small part. Second, the measurement of PTSD in this study might be vulnerable to selection bias because of an online self-report study, such as participants' recruitment. Third, the prevalence of PTSD in this study was estimated by an online questionnaire rather than a clinical interview. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that some Chinese showed acute PTSD during the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, comprehensive psychological intervention needs further implementation. Furthermore, females, people who had recent epidemic area contact history, those at high risk of infection or with poor sleep quality deserve special attention.

The prevalence of PTSS under the influence of public health emergencies in last two decades: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of 21st century, several major public health emergencies (PHEs) have threatened the health of people globally. Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) was one of the most concerned mental health problems. The objective of this study is to systematically estimate the prevalence of PTSS under the influence of PHEs. METHOD: We searched both English and Chinese databases. This meta-analysis used a random-effects model to estimate the prevalence of PTSS. Subgroup analyses were conducted to analyze the source of heterogeneity. Meta-regression model was used to calculate the proportion of the variance explained by subgroup moderators. RESULTS: Forty eligible studies (n = 15,538) were identified. The results revealed a pooled prevalence of PTSS of 17.0% (95%CI: 13.5%-21.2%), higher than that of previous epidemiological survey, with high between-studies heterogeneity (Q = 1199, I2 = 96.75%, p < .001). There was variance of prevalence in different countries (4.0%-36.5%) and epidemics (12.1%-36.5%). The prevalence of PTSS showed the feature of fluctuation in the change of time (Q = 6.173, p = .290). Patients had higher prevalence (26.2%) compared to healthcare workers (HCWs) (18.5%) and community samples (12.4%) and frontline HCWs had marginally significantly higher estimated rate than general HCWs (22.2%, 95%CI:16.0%-30.1% vs. 10.4%, 95%CI: 6.4%-16.6%). The variance of prevalence screened by interview and self-reported was significant (Q = 3.393, p = .05) and studies with higher quality possessed lower prevalence (high:12.4%; moderate: 17.3%; low: 18.0%). The total variance explained by subgroup moderators was estimated 64% by meta regression model. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include high level of heterogeneity between studies and within subgroups as well as the lack of studies with high quality and using probability sampling. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the PTSS was common under the influence of PHEs. It was crucial to further explore the psychological mechanism and effective strategies for prevention and intervention in future research with more high-quality studies.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms of health care workers during the corona virus disease 2019.

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has attracted worldwide attention. The COVID-19 outbreak is unique in its rapid transmission and results in heavy stress for the front-line health care workers (HCWs). The current study aimed to exam posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) of HCWs fighting for the COVID-19 and to evaluate their sleep quality after 1-month stressful suffering. Three hundred seventy-seven HCWs working in different provinces of China participated in the survey between February 1 and 5. The demographic information was collected first. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were selected to measure PTSSs and sleep quality. Results showed that 1 month after the outbreak, the prevalence of PTSSs was 3.8% in HCWs. Female HCWs were more vulnerable to PTSSs with hazard ratio of 2.136 (95% CI = 1.388-3.286). HCWs with higher exposure level also significantly rated more hyperarousal symptoms (hazard ratio = 4.026, 95% CI = 1.233-13.140). There was a significant difference of sleep quality between participants with and without PTSSs (z value = 6.014, p < .001) and among different groups with various contact frequencies (chi-square = 7.307, p = .026). Path analysis showed that there was a significant indirect effect from exposure level to PTSSs through sleep quality (coefficient = 1.750, 95% CI of Boostroop test = 0.543-2.998). In summary, targeted interventions on sleep contribute to the mental recovery during the outbreak of COVID-19. Understanding the mental health response after a public health emergency might help HCWs and communities prepare for a population's response to disaster.

Prevalence and predictors of PTSS during COVID-19 outbreak in China hardest-hit areas: Gender differences matter.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in China in December 2019 has been identified as a pandemic and a health emergency of global concern. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in China hardest-hit areas during COVID-19 outbreak, especially exploring the gender difference existing in PTSS. One month after the December 2019 COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan China, we surveyed PTSS and sleep qualities among 285 residents in Wuhan and surrounding cities using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and 4 items from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Hierarchical regression analysis and non-parametric test were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that the prevalence of PTSS in China hardest-hit areas a month after the COVID-19 outbreak was 7%. Women reported significant higher PTSS in the domains of re-experiencing, negative alterations in cognition or mood, and hyper-arousal. Participants with better sleep quality or less frequency of early awakenings reported lower PTSS. Professional and effective mental health services should be designed in order to aid the psychological wellbeing of the population in affected areas, especially those living in hardest-hit areas, females and people with poor sleep quality.

Prolonged grief disorder in Chinese Shidu parents who have lost their only child.

Background: China has the largest population of '"loss-of-only-child' parents, that are also known as Shidu parents in Chinese society; however, little is known about their unresolved grief. Objective: This is the first study to examine the grief symptoms, prevalence, comorbidity and potential predictors of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in such parents, taking into consideration that the new PGD diagnostic criteria ICD-11 will soon be implemented in China. Methods: 149 Shidu parents completed assessments of PGD (PG-13), PTSD (PCL-C), depression (CES-D) and general psychiatric morbidity (GHQ-12) via in-person interviews. Results: Of the 149 Shidu parents, 22.2% met the PGD criteria, with a mean of 7.59 years post-loss, and 62.4% experienced daily longing or yearning. Regression analysis indicated that fewer years since loss, subjective perception of poor economic situation, female gender and more hospital visits were prominent risk factors for the development of PGD. Older age of the parents at the time of child loss was also associated with PGD. Parents with PGD had higher comorbidity of PTSD or depression compared with those without PGD. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of PGD and a high rate of comorbidity between PGD and PTSD or depression in Shidu parents in China, which highlights the need of timely developing effective assessments and interventions to prevent PGD in this population, particularly in female, recently bereaved, low-income and aged parents who lost their only child.

Antecedentes: China tiene la población más grande de padres que han perdido a su hijo único, conocidos como los padres shidu en la sociedad china; sin embargo, se conoce poco respecto a su duelo no resuelto.Objetivo: Este es el primer estudio en evaluar los síntomas de duelo, y la prevalencia, comorbilidades y predictores potenciales del trastorno de duelo prolongado (TDP) en este tipo de padres, tomando en consideración que los nuevos criterios diagnósticos para el TDP de la CIE-11 se implementarán pronto en China.Métodos: 149 padres Shidu completaron evaluaciones para TDP (PG-13), TEPT (PCL-C), depresión (CES-D) y morbilidad psiquiátrica general (GHQ-12) mediante entrevistas en persona.Resultados: De los 149 padres shidu, 22,2% cumplieron los criterios para TDP, con un promedio de 7,59 años pospérdida, y 62,4% experimentaron nostalgia y anhelo. Los análisis de regresión indicaron que menos años luego de la pérdida, una percepción subjetiva de una pobre situación económica, el sexo femenino, y un mayor número de consultas en hospitales eran factores de riesgo prominentes para el desarrollo de TDP. Una mayor edad de los padres al momento de la pérdida del niño también se asoció con TDP. Los padres con TDP tenían mayor comorbilidad de TEPT o depresión comparados con aquellos que no tenían TDP.Conclusiones: Existe una alta prevalencia del TDP y una alta tasa de comorbilidad entre el TDP, el TEPT o la depresión en padres Shidu en China, lo cual resalta la necesidad de desarrollar a tiempo evaluaciones e intervenciones efectivas para prevenir el TDP en esta población, en particular en mujeres, en deudos recientes, en aquellos con bajos ingresos, y en padres de edad avanzada que perdieron a su hijo único.

Developments of prolonged exposure in treatment effect of post-traumatic stress disorder and controlling dropout rate: A meta-analytic review.

Prolonged exposure (PE) has been proved as an efficacious psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are mainly two changed formats of PE: the modified PE (mPE) and the PE combined with drug (PE/d). Symptom reduction following these two PE training formats has been reported in the patients with PTSD. However, very little is focusing on the direct comparison of mPE + PE/d and PE. Therefore, this paper aims to compare the mPE + PE/d with PE on the PTSD treatment effect and the dropout rate directly through the meta-analysis. Eighteen studies with total sample size of 1,397 met the final inclusion criteria. The results showed that mPE + PE/d had significantly lower posttreatment PTSD severity than control group (relaxation, wait list, etc.). There was no significant difference between mPE + PE/d and PE on the posttreatment, the follow-up PTSD score, and the posttreatment dropout rate. Compared with PE, lower PTSD symptoms and marginally lower dropout rate following the treatment were observed in the PE/d group. PE/d yielded a significantly larger effect size than mPE when compared with PE on the posttreatment PTSD symptom severity. The significance of the above results would not be changed even if studies causing high heterogeneity were removed. Although PE/d enhanced treatment effect and lowered dropout rate when compared with PE, it was still insufficient to draw the conclusion that formats of adjustments would specifically improve the implementation of PE. Further studies are warranted to develop an easily accomplished and efficacy-guaranteeing PE programme for PTSD patients.

Risk factors for PTSD of Shidu parents who lost the only child in a rapid aging process: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The elderly population is rising globally, especially in China where a large population base causes the largest number of older adults in the world. Notably, Shidu people who are over the age of 60 and have lost their only child have drawn great public attentions as they become more elderly, medically unstable and worse mentally unhealthy. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common consequences resulted from the loss of the only child. However, few previous studies have examined PTSD in Shidu older aldults, and the risk factors are a relatively understudied area. Our study aims to estimate the prevalence and potential risk factors of PTSD and improve the possibility of early identifying the high-risk Shidu parents with PTSD, and successively provide timely and effective interventions. METHOD: Based on the register of population statistic information provided by the health family planning commission, 149 participants were enrolled randomly. Data was collected by interviews and questionnaires. Socio-demographic and bereavement-related information and physical health outcomes were obtained. PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version was used to screen for bereavement-related PTSD. RESULT: The morbidity of PTSD reached 30.9%, while in the group of age over 60 the morbidity reached 31.6%. Stratified by potential demographic risk factors, SDPs have significant between-group differences of PTSD. Specially, being women, higher income, losing the single child at older age, more serious medical conditions and being Shidu for a shorter period indicated higher severity of PTSD in SDPs. The single child dying at a older age and from accidence were also significant indicators. Regression analysis showed the gender of SDPs, hospital visits, and the cause of child death significantly predicted the severity of PTSD. CONCLUSION: With the accelerate process of aging, especially in China, Shidu older adults become a group deserved more attentions. PTSD is clearly a possible reaction to the loss of the only child. The gender and hospital visits of the Shidu older adults and the causes of their child's death significantly related to the prevalence of PTSD, which could help to improve the possibility of early intervening.

Epidemic area contact history and sleep quality associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in the first phase of COVID-19 outbreak in China.

The impact of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak on mental health was of widespread concern recently. The present study aimed to exam sleep quality and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and potential influence factors in the first phases of COVID-19 massive outbreak in China. A snowball sampling technique was used and a total of 2027 Chinese participated in the present study. Demographic information, epidemic area contact history, sleep quality and PTSS data were collected with an internet-based cross-sectional survey. Results suggested that 59.7% participants were not fully satisfied with their sleep quality, and 50.9% participants had various degrees of short sleep duration problems. 44.1% and 33.0% participants had sleep disturbance and sleep onset latency problems. Also, the prevalence of PTSS reached 4.7% in the self-rating survey. Epidemic area contact history affected PTSS and latency onset of sleep under the influence of COVID-19. Epidemic area contact history and sleep quality had interaction effects on PTSS. The present study was one of the first to evaluate acute psychological responses and possible risk factors during the peak of COVID-19 in China and results indicate that keeping good sleep quality in individuals with pandemic exposure experiences is a way to prevent PTSS.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction improves the general health and stress of Chinese military recruits: A pilot study.

This paper reported the health effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) among 49 Chinese military recruits with psychological distress in a 12-week study. Participants were randomized into a MBSR and a waitlist group. Previously validated questionnaires were administered to both groups at four time points: baseline, 5, 8, and 12 weeks after participation. Compared to the waitlist group, the MBSR group showed more improvements in mindfulness and general health, as well as more stress reduction at 12-week follow-up. This study suggested that MBSR could be a promising health intervention for improving general health and reducing stress in Chinese military recruits.