Anhedonia describes the inability or difficulty of experiencing or seeking pleasure. Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or experiencing trauma and anhedonia symptoms; however, little to no work has been done to understand the evolution of anhedonia symptoms after trauma. We aimed to identify anhedonia trajectories following traumatic injury. One hundred ninety-five participants were recruited from the emergency department of a Level-1 Trauma Center after experiencing a traumatic injury. To measure anhedonia symptoms, participants completed the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) at 2-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months post-injury. Using latent class mixture modeling, we ran a trajectory analysis with three timepoints of SHAPS scores and compared mental and physical health outcomes across trajectories. Most of the sample fell in the resilient trajectory (85%), while the remainder were in a remitting trajectory (7%) where symptoms decreased over time, and a delayed (6%) trajectory where symptoms did not emerge until 3-months after injury. In the resilient trajectory, there was consistently low levels of PTSD, pain, depression, and anxiety relative to the other trajectories. In the delayed trajectory, depression and PTSD were chronically elevated and pain levels were consistent but mild. In the remitting trajectory, PTSD and depression symptoms decreased over time. Identified anhedonia trajectories mirrored trajectories commonly reported for PTSD symptoms after injury. Evaluating anhedonia trajectories and how they relate to mental health outcomes may inform targeted interventions for traumatic injury patients.

Prior epidemic literature suggests that the rapid proliferation of Monkeypox (Mpox) within the United States may trigger severe stress reactions that increase the risk of developing secondary traumatic stress among young adults most at risk of exposure. The present exploratory study aimed to investigate the degree to which proximity to Mpox (i.e. knowing people who acquired Mpox), was associated with symptoms of secondary traumatization.

Theoretical models of complicated grief (CG) suggest that maladaptive motivational tendencies (e.g., perseverative proximity-seeking of the deceased; excessive avoidance of reminders) interfere with a person's ability to recover from their loved one's death. Due in part to conflicting evidence, little mechanistic understanding of how these behaviors develop in grief exists. We sought to (1) identify behavioral differences between CG and non-CG groups based on approach/avoidance bias for grief-, deceased-, and social-related stimuli, and (2) test the role of the neuropeptide oxytocin in shaping approach/avoidance bias. Widowed older adults with ( 17) and without ( 22) CG completed an approach/avoidance task measuring implicit bias for both personalized and non-specific grief-related stimuli (among other stimuli). In a double-blinded, randomized, counterbalanced design, each participant attended both an intranasal oxytocin session and a placebo session. Aims were to (1) identify differential effects of CG and stimulus type on implicit approach/avoidance bias [placebo session], and (2) investigate interactive effects of CG, stimulus type, and oxytocin vs. placebo on approach/avoidance bias [both sessions]. In the placebo session, participants in the non-CG group demonstrated an approach bias across all stimuli. Intranasal oxytocin had an overall slowing effect on the CG group's response times. Further, oxytocin decreased avoidance bias in response to photos of the deceased spouse in the CG group only. Findings support the hypothesis that oxytocin has a differential effect on motivational tendency in CG compared to non-CG, strengthening evidence for its role in CG. Findings also emphasize the need to consider differences in personalized vs. generic stimuli when designing grief-relevant tasks.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown policy had a profound psychological impact on the general population worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the level of stress and coping strategies used during the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak and their association. Secondary aims were to a) identify the most important coping strategies and b) investigate predictors of stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted by using an anonymous online questionnaire. The study was carried out from April 23 to May 4 2020. A snowball sampling method was conducted to recruit potential participants from the general population of Greece and Cyprus. Participants over 18 years old who were familiar with the Greek language were included. The psychological impact was assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Coping strategies were assessed using 15 statements detected from a review of the literature. Participants were asked to rate each one of the coping strategies according to how important it was to them, on a four-point likert scale. The sample consisted of 3941 participants (74.2% women, N=2926), with a mean age of 36.9 years old. The most important coping strategies adopted were 1) "Dealing the situation with a positive attitude" (96.5%), 2) "Follow strict personal protective measures" (95,9%), 3) "Acquiring knowledge about coronavirus" (94.6%), 4) "Engaging in health-promoting behaviors" (89.6%), 5) "Limiting the time spent on media" (75.5%). The highest and positive coefficients were recorded for the association of IES-R scales with 1) "Talking with family and friends to reduce stress", 2) "Seeking help from a mental health professional", 3) "Limiting the time spent on media", 4) "Relieving and managing emotions", 5) "Practicing relaxation techniques". 26.5% showed severe psychological impact. Addressing stress levels with the use of functional coping strategies can be beneficial to protect the general population from adverse psychological outcomes.

Traumatic events. e.g., road traffic accidents, violent conflicts, natural and human-made disasters, are common in sub-Saharan Africa. However, validated trauma screening tools to assess trauma at the individual level are lacking in many sub-Saharan African countries, such as Ethiopia, which limits accurate diagnosis and effective care provision.

Mental health outcomes in healthcare workers (HCWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been poorly explored during COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to carry out a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of mental health symptoms in HCWs in Colombia.

The mental health difficulties of trauma survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic have been under-reported. This study explored the moderating role of trauma history and trauma type (interpersonal and non-interpersonal) in the association between COVID-19-related stressors and depression, anxiety, and stress. A sample of  = 321 participants ages 19 to 71 ( = 36.63, SD = 10.36) was recruited from across the United States through MTurk. Participants reported the number of COVID-19-related stressors, trauma history and psychological symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses, controlling for age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, and income levels, were used to determine (a) whether COVID-19-related stressors are associated with adverse mental health outcomes; (b) whether trauma history and (c) trauma type moderated this association. Results revealed significant interactions; for those with a trauma history, exposure to COVID-19-related stressors was associated with higher levels of depression () and anxiety (). For those with a history of interpersonal trauma specifically, COVID-19-related stressors were associated with depression () more so than for those without a trauma history. These findings highlight the vulnerability of trauma survivors to the unprecedented COVID-19-related stress.

The threatening and unpredictable nature of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic presents unprecedented mental-health challenges worldwide. For those directly affected by the disease, the stress of facing potential death and overcoming fear can overwhelm their personal coping resources and can lead to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety and depression. The objective of our study was to investigate the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to reduce anxio-depressive symptoms, distress and fear of the unknown in COVID-19 patients hospitalized for intensive care. A pilot study was conducted with 21 participants hospitalized for COVID-19 (11 women and 10 men) who were treated with EMDR therapy and assessed for anxio-depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), intensity of distress (Subjective Units of Disturbance, SUD scale), and levels of experienced fear (i.e., fear of the unknown) (Multidimensional Assessment of COVID-19-Related Fears, MAC-RF). After the 4-session treatment, the EMDR therapy showed to be effective in reducing all of the evaluated symptoms in all patients and allowed for stabilization. All patients maintained improved psychological states for one week following the four sessions. EMDR therapy has been shown to be an effective strategy for helping patients process exposure to adverse events by relieving symptoms of acute stress and trauma. EMDR is a focused approach that with as few as 4 sessions can strengthen adaptive coping strategies for dealing with an ongoing situation, restore optimism and can rapidly prevent the onset of potentially long-lasting psychological disorders.

Sweden was hit hard in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with deaths per capita among the highest in Europe. The pandemic was a stressful time especially for healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. Various studies have evaluated whether nurses caring for these patients had higher levels of acute stress, but typically with measures that either used older DSM-IV criteria for Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) or general measures of acute stress. We recruited an online sample ( = 101) of nurses in Sweden from COVID-19 specialized units (ICU), Emergency (ER), and other units (Other), and asked them to answer questionnaires retrospectively to the peak of infections in Sweden. We aimed to evaluate: 1) the psychometric properties of the translation of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire-II (SASRQ-II, which follows DSM-5 criteria for ASD) into Swedish, 2) whether nurses in COVID-19 units had experienced more acute stress than nurses in other units, and 3) the extent of potential acute stress disorder. The SASRQ-II evidenced good construct, convergent and divergent validity, and good reliability. It showed that ICU nurses reported significantly more acute stress than the other two groups, a difference that could not be accounted for by demographic or other variables. A retrospective diagnosis of ASD using the SASRQ-II suggested that 60% of nurses might have fulfilled ASD criteria, but no differences across groups were found.

This study aimed to assess the traumatic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and to explore the contribution of fatalism to a) psychological distress and b) pandemic-related behavior change. Data for the study were collected via an anonymous online survey. The survey included questions about demographic characteristics, health status, pandemic-related stress, impact of COVID-19 on health and behavior, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and fatalism. The sample included 465 participants from 30 countries (mean age = 36.87, SD = 13.39, age range = 18 - 76; 80% female). While none of the study participants have been diagnosed with COVID-19, almost 25% knew someone who had received the diagnosis. The overwhelming majority (79%) had to make changes to their daily routine, and 48.82% of the sample reported moderate to severe PTSS. Fatalism was found to be a statistically significant predictor of PTSS in a multiple regression model and was also associated with lack of behavior changes in response to the pandemic. Our findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic is a traumatic event with a potential to affect mental health and well-being of individuals and communities. Fatalism may contribute to severity of psychological distress and diminish individuals' ability to engage in health-protective behaviors.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a worldwide health crisis. This crisis resulted in an almost two-month lockdown in France - lockdown that has serious impacts on physical and mental health. This unprecedented situation resulted in an important reflection about the mental health of the persons experiencing this crisis. The aim of our study was to apprehend the emotional state of the persons experiencing this lockdown, taking into account day-to-day life and feelings of loneliness. In order to develop a good comprehension of the impact of this situation on mental health, we recruited 4689 persons through an online survey between March 17th and May 11th of 2020 in France. We used several psychometric tools that gave us access to various data, such as socio-biographical information, situational variables - place of living, work context, etc. - and psychological state - depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, etc. This paper focuses mostly on the UCLA loneliness scale, and the French Canadian version of the Psychiatric Symptoms Index (PSI), which measures psychological distress, as well as depressive symptoms, anxiety and cognitive impairment. Results show a moderate psychological distress for 27.5% of our sample, with depressive symptomatology, irritability or cognitive impairment. There is also a high loneliness feeling in 21.8% of the sample. Psychological distress is explained by sociodemographic variables - such as gender and age - but also by situational information - type of housing and persistence of income - and the loneliness feeling. If this pandemic and this lockdown show a clear impact on the emotional life of the French population, these results need to be taken into account with a broader range of situational and psychological variables. These additional data would help us have a more thorough understanding of the underlying factors explaining this difficult experience of the crisis. This comprehension also needs to go further in time and think about the repercussions beyond the end of the lockdown, in order to observe the evolution of these emotions and the potential persistence of psychological distress.

COVID-19 which appeared in China in 2019 and spread all over the world causing on its way important damages (WHO, 2020). This pandemic has generated stressful situations and significantly hampered the mental and psychosomatic health of the world population, especially that of the medical and paramedical personnel. That is why, we thought it just to focus on the perception of risk, emotional intelligence and the psychological health of caregivers relatively to this dreadful pandemic. This brought us to collect some data through using a composite questionnaire, which we submitted to 180 participants aged between 26 and 63 years (M = 17.89, ET = 6.56) recruited among health workers. They have selected through the simple random sampling technique. The results of this study permit us to notice that emotional intelligence is correlated to the psychological well being ((180) = .25;  ≤ .01), while risk perception is correlated to the psychological distress ((180) = .29;  ≤ .01). This type of results shows the impact of the perception of risk and of emotional intelligence on the psychological health of the health professionals.

The objective of this study was to measure, via an online survey, the peritraumatic impact of COVID-19-related lockdown measures on parents and their sense of parental competence, as well as the link with their children's peritraumatic distress. We investigated the links between the distress felt by the parent and the distress felt by the child in the lockdown from March to May 2020. Participants were 287 parents and 161 children. The results of our study indicated that there is a significant association between the parents' and the children's peritraumatic stress. We also found a significant relationship between the sense of parental competence and the trauma suffered as a result of the lockdown. We also showed that people who usually felt more stressed have lower peritraumatic distress. In addition, the data indicated that mothers were more affected than fathers by the lockdown, whereas there was no difference between girls and boys in the sample of children. The peritraumatic feelings appeared to be more related to the difficulty of combining teleworking with the daily management of children than to the fear of the virus itself. All these results bear witness to the differences in the experience of lockdown between mothers and fathers, and the impact on their children's well-being.

Most of the recent studies indicated the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) are increasing after the COVID pandemic around the world. Bo et al. reported PTSS prevalence of 96.2% among the COVID-19-infected people. The sociocultural and individual vulnerability and protective factors may influence onset and maintenance of the symptoms. However, there is significant lack in understanding the risk factors and preventive factors that influence the maintenance of Post-Traumatic Stress symptoms that defines Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The digital technology gives us the unique opportunity to assess this risk, to monitor and track this evolution longitudinally. In this research project we aimed to design and develop a smartphone application for longitudinal data collection enabling to (1) predict and follow the evolution of PTSS toward PTSD, (2) assess the relative efficacy of several methods to prevent the evolution of PTSS right after exposure to trauma (1-24 h), (3) educate people about psychological effects that can occur during and after trauma, normalize acute distress and refer to professional help if a disorder is constituted. We hope that this research project will help to understand how to maximize the self help support during the acute phase (golden hours) after trauma to prevent the transition from PTSS to PTSD. A video abstract can be found on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZJehj3J8go&feature=emb_title.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental well-being observed during the first quarantine implemented in France in 2020. This online survey included 1,876 French volunteer participants who completed data on lifestyle habits during the period of confinement and self-reported levels of resilience, optimism and psychological well-being. We observed that the score of participants' psychological well-being was considerably lower among single participants, students, the unemployed and those facing risk of financial insecurity. The results of the multivariate analysis showed that low levels of psychological well-being were significantly associated with single status and male gender. Higher scores for general peer support, optimism, resilience and confidence in information shared within immediate circles of friends of family were also significantly positively associated with better mental health. Taken together, the results from this study showed that quarantine measures impacted the psychological well-being of the participants in our sample, that the degree of impact was strongly linked with individual levels of resilience and optimism, and that general support together with confidence in one's immediate circle of friends or family also played an important role in overall mental well-being.

The objectives of the present longitudinal study were to (i) understand the potential impacts of concern about the COVID-19 epidemic and containment measures (e.g. lockdown) on the psychological and emotional status of women during pregnancy and after childbirth, (ii) identify factors associated with these impacts, and (iii) to study the mothers' coping strategies and protective factors. Data were collected during pregnancy (timepoint 1, during France's first period of lockdown from April 6th to May 11th, 2020) and then one month after childbirth (timepoint 2). At timepoint 1, 90 women completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. At timepoint 2, 26 women completed the City Birth Trauma Scale, the Interpersonal Emotional Regulation Questionnaire, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. The relationship between social support and worry about the fetus/baby during the COVID-19 pandemic was statistically significant (Rho=- 0.21; 0.05). Worry about the fetus/baby was also significantly correlated with the anxiety score (Rho=0.60; 0.01) and the depression score (Rho= 0.37, 0.01). When the study population was compared with a control sample of new mothers having given birth outside the lockdown period, we observed differences in the prevalence of anxiety but not in the prevalence of postpartum PTSD. Lastly, the relationship between posttraumatic growth and emotion regulation was not significant (Rho=0.29,  = 0.16 for soothing; Rho=0.26,  = 0.20 for social modeling; Rho=0.28;  = 0.17 for perspective-taking; Rho=0.35;  = 0.08 for enhancing positive affect). In view of the sample size and the statistical tests, this study should be considered as exploratory. Our present results open up opportunities for further research and suggest that a possible impact of COVID-19 must be considered when evaluating potential psychological disorders in the perinatal period.

The aim of this study is to explore psychological and mental health implications of social distancing and lockdown, in Greece in order to gain a better understanding of the COVID-19 crisis. For the purposes of this article, quantitative measures are used: the Greek versions of "Life Orientation Scale-Revised" (LOT-R) (Lyrakos, Damigos, Mavreas, Georgia, & Dimoliatis, 2010) to investigate the presence of dispositional optimism tendencies, "Impact of Event scale" (Mystakidou, Tsilika, Parpa, Galanos, & Vlahos, 2007) to assess the traumatic evaluation of the current events, "Perceived Stress Scale" (Andreou et al., 2011) to measure the stress levels amongst population, and "Posttraumatic Growth Inventory" (Mystakidou, Tsilika, Parpa, Galanos, & Vlahos, 2008) to examine positive aspects of the situation, are used. Questionnaires were distributed online a month after social distancing measures and three weeks following lockdown. The survey is addressed to general adult population and data collection lasted until the end of curfew (May 4th 2020). Hundred and sixty-seven (N = 167) participants completed the survey. Main results show that women obtain higher scores than men on the Impact Event Scale and they identify social distancing and curfew as traumatic events. However, men exhibit higher levels of Posttraumatic growth comparing to women, as to subscales "life appreciation" and "spirituality". Stress and posttraumatic stress are highly correlated to PTG and enable its development in the context of COVID-19. Implications for research and practice will be recommended.