Examination of daily-level associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and COVID-19 worries.

Abstract

Stressors and worries related to the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to the onset and exacerbation of psychological symptoms such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using a microlongitudinal framework, we uniquely investigated bidirectional associations between daily-level PTSD symptoms and COVID-19 worries. Data from 42 trauma-exposed university students (Mage = 22.67 ± 5.02, 86.7% female) were collected between March and August 2020. Participants completed daily surveys for 10 days to assess PTSD symptom severity and COVID-19 worries. Multilevel regression was conducted to examine both lagged and simultaneous models of daily person-centered mean PTSD symptom severity predicting COVID-19 worries, and vice-versa. Days with greater COVID-19 worries were associated with greater same-day (b = .53, SE = .19, p = .006) and next-day (b = .65, SE = .21, p = .003) PTSD symptom severity. Additionally, days with greater PTSD symptom severity were associated with greater same-day COVID-19 worries (b = .06, SE = .02, p = .006). COVID-19 worries may influence same-day and next-day PTSD symptoms, and PTSD symptoms may influence same day COVID-19 worries. Findings substantiate the interplay between ongoing stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and posttrauma symptoms and support therapeutically targeting COVID-19 stress in PTSD treatments to potentially impact posttrauma symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).