TY - JOUR
T1 - A latent class analysis of dissociative PTSD subtype among Chinese adolescents following the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown
AU - Bi, Yajie
AU - Cao, Chengqi
AU - Fang, Ruojiao
AU - Wang, Na
AU - Liu, Ping
AU - Luo, Shu
AU - Grace, Emma
AU - Wang, Li
PY - 2024/3/15
Y1 - 2024/3/15
N2 - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and related policies have amplified the vulnerability of adolescents to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociation symptoms. This study sought to explore the profile patterns and psychopathological characteristics of co-occurring PTSD and dissociation symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Methods: A total of 57,984 junior and senior high school students in Deyang City, China were recruited between July 13 and July 19, 2020. PTSD and dissociation symptoms, risk factors, and functional impairment variables were assessed using the Global Psychotrauma Screen for Teenagers (GPS-T) instrument. Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to examine the phenomenology and risk factors of co-occurring PTSD and dissociation symptoms. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized to investigate differences in COVID-19 pandemic-related exposure and functional impairment across distinct symptom profiles. Results: A 4-class model was selected as the optimal solution, comprising subgroups of low symptom, predominant PTSD symptom, predominant dissociation symptom, and PTSD-dissociation symptom. Class membership could be significantly predicted by other stressful experiences, social support, childhood maltreatment and psychiatric histories. The PTSD-dissociation symptom class exhibited the most severe COVID-19 pandemic-related exposure and functional impairment among all classes. Limitations: The cross-sectional design, Chinese cultural background, online survey method and oversimple measurements were the limitations. Conclusions: Our findings extend existing knowledge about the coexisting patterns of PTSD and dissociation symptoms in adolescents, which could assist in identifying high-risk youths. Furthermore, our findings offer recommendations for shaping public health policies and formulating effective clinical interventions for adolescents following the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
AB - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and related policies have amplified the vulnerability of adolescents to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociation symptoms. This study sought to explore the profile patterns and psychopathological characteristics of co-occurring PTSD and dissociation symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Methods: A total of 57,984 junior and senior high school students in Deyang City, China were recruited between July 13 and July 19, 2020. PTSD and dissociation symptoms, risk factors, and functional impairment variables were assessed using the Global Psychotrauma Screen for Teenagers (GPS-T) instrument. Latent class analysis (LCA) was employed to examine the phenomenology and risk factors of co-occurring PTSD and dissociation symptoms. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized to investigate differences in COVID-19 pandemic-related exposure and functional impairment across distinct symptom profiles. Results: A 4-class model was selected as the optimal solution, comprising subgroups of low symptom, predominant PTSD symptom, predominant dissociation symptom, and PTSD-dissociation symptom. Class membership could be significantly predicted by other stressful experiences, social support, childhood maltreatment and psychiatric histories. The PTSD-dissociation symptom class exhibited the most severe COVID-19 pandemic-related exposure and functional impairment among all classes. Limitations: The cross-sectional design, Chinese cultural background, online survey method and oversimple measurements were the limitations. Conclusions: Our findings extend existing knowledge about the coexisting patterns of PTSD and dissociation symptoms in adolescents, which could assist in identifying high-risk youths. Furthermore, our findings offer recommendations for shaping public health policies and formulating effective clinical interventions for adolescents following the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
KW - Adolescents
KW - COVID-19
KW - Dissociation
KW - Latent class analysis
KW - Post-traumatic stress disorder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85182772771&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.078
DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.078
M3 - Article
C2 - 38199423
AN - SCOPUS:85182772771
SN - 0165-0327
VL - 349
SP - 596
EP - 603
JO - Journal of Affective Disorders
JF - Journal of Affective Disorders
ER -
