Authors:	Ahrens, Kira Florence Neumann, Rebecca J. Kollmann, Bianca Brokelmann, J. Werthern, Nina Margarete von Malyshau, Aliaksandr Weichert, D. Lutz, B. Fiebach, Christian J. Wessa, Michèle Kalisch, Raffael Plichta, Michael M. Lieb, Klaus Tüscher, Oliver Reif, Andreas
Title:	Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on mental health in Germany : longitudinal observation of different mental health trajectories and protective factors
Online publication date:	6-Jul-2022
Year of first publication:	2021
Language:	english
Abstract:	The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting measures can be regarded as a global stressor. Cross-sectional studies showed rather negative impacts on people’s mental health, while longitudinal studies considering pre-lockdown data are still scarce. The present study investigated the impact of COVID-19 related lockdown measures in a longitudinal German sample, assessed since 2017. During lockdown, 523 participants completed additional weekly online questionnaires on e.g., mental health, COVID-19-related and general stressor exposure. Predictors for and distinct trajectories of mental health outcomes were determined, using multilevel models and latent growth mixture models, respectively. Positive pandemic appraisal, social support, and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation were positively, whereas perceived stress, daily hassles, and feeling lonely negatively related to mental health outcomes in the entire sample. Three subgroups (“recovered,” 9.0%; “resilient,” 82.6%; “delayed dysfunction,” 8.4%) with different mental health responses to initial lockdown measures were identified. Subgroups differed in perceived stress and COVID-19-specific positive appraisal. Although most participants remained mentally healthy, as observed in the resilient group, we also observed inter-individual differences. Participants’ psychological state deteriorated over time in the delayed dysfunction group, putting them at risk for mental disorder development. Consequently, health services should especially identify and allocate resources to vulnerable individuals.
DDC:	610 Medizin 610 Medical sciences
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 04 Medizin
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-7320
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License:	CC BY
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Journal:	Translational Psychiatry 11
Pages or article number:	392
Publisher:	Nature Publishing Group
Publisher place:	London
Issue date:	2021
ISSN:	2158-3188
Publisher DOI:	10.1038/s41398-021-01508-2
Appears in collections:	JGU-Publikationen