[Symptoms of adjustment disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study].

Abstract

Background: This longitudinal study focuses on the question to what extent symptoms of adjustment disorder (AD) occurred in the Dutch population in response to the corona pandemic.

Aim: To explore which (a) personal characteristics and which (b) pandemic, (c) health or (d) trauma-related factors are related to symptoms of AD.

Method: 2079 people (time 1) and 777 people (time 2) participated in an online questionnaire since 2020. Prevalence of adjustment disorder and the concurrent and longitudinal associations between the factors (a-d) and AD severity were determined.

Results: A third experienced severe adjustment problems at the beginning of the pandemic and half a year later. However, there were changes in the course of adjustment: a large group of people did not meet the criteria for AD at time 1, while they did so at time 2, and vice versa. The observed factors (a-d) contributed to explaining the variation in adjustment disorder severity between participants (27% at time 1 and 44% at time 2, respectively), but did not do so completely.

Conclusion: A more person-centered approach to study predictors of transitions in symptom patterns over time is needed. While a minority developed symptoms of AD, the majority has been able to cope well with the pandemic.