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ERIC Number: ED628569
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 34
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Prospective Examination of Psychological Trauma among Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Jasmine Lewis; Srinidhi Jayakumar; Rosanna Breaux; Melissa R. Dvorsky; Joshua M. Langberg; Stephen P. Becker
Grantee Submission
Objective: This longitudinal study investigated the predictors of and changes in psychological trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Participants included 236 adolescents (130 males; M age = 16.74 years in spring 2020; 49.6% diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; 16.1% diagnosed with an anxiety or depressive disorder) in the United States who completed online questionnaires at four timepoints (spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021). Results: Repeated measures ANOVA showed that psychological trauma was highest during stay-at-home orders in spring 2020, and decreased for a majority of adolescents by the summer of 2020. However, [approximately]20% of adolescents exhibited moderate-to-clinical levels of psychological trauma at each timepoint. Four groups were identified based on the presence of psychological trauma symptoms: (1) "resilient group" (normal range across all timepoints; 60.6%), (2) "moderate fluctuating group" (moderate range at one or more timepoints; 18.2%), (3) "severe fluctuating group" (clinical range at one or more timepoints; 14.0%), and (4) "chronic psychological trauma group" (moderate or clinical range across all timepoints; 7.2%). Females, adolescents with pre-existing internalizing disorders, and participants whose families were most impacted by the pandemic were more susceptible to experiencing psychological trauma symptoms. Conclusions: Findings highlight at-risk populations and suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in psychological trauma symptoms for approximately 20% of adolescents at some point during the first year of the pandemic. There is critical need to provide mental health services to adolescents, such as through school-based services, to reduce the negative long-term psychological impact of the pandemic. [This paper was published in "Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy."]
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A160126
Author Affiliations: N/A