Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and coping with the lockdown among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim To compare the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and of particular PTSD clusters among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 lockdown. The second aim was to identify the main coping strategies used. Methods Male war veterans (N = 176) receiving outpatient treatment at the Referral Center for PTSD were assessed at baseline (12-18 months before the pandemic declaration in March 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (March-June 2020). The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5, PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and The Brief COPE were used. Results Direct exposure to the virus in our sample was low, and the majority of participants followed the preventive measures. The severity of the overall PTSD symptoms and of clusters of symptoms significantly decreased compared with the first assessment. At the second assessment, all participants still fulfilled the PTSD diagnosis criteria. During the lockdown, the participants used emotion-focused and problem-focused coping rather than dysfunctional coping. Conclusion The severity of PTSD symptoms decreased during the lockdown. Further research is needed to study the trajectories of long-term psychopathology.

Automated summary

The study compared the severity of PTSD symptoms among help-seeking veterans before and during the COVID-19 lockdown, finding a significant decrease in overall symptoms and symptom clusters during the lockdown. Participants mainly used emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies during this period.