Table 3.
Main characteristics of included studies on trauma-related symptoms in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the association between COVID-19 and trauma-related symptoms among caregivers.
| Authors/date of publication | Study design; Country; Date of data collection; Sample characteristics |
Main findings |
|---|---|---|
| Loret de Mola et al., 2021 | Longitudinal in a birth cohort; Brazil; 2019, January 1–December 31 December and 2020, May 11–July 20; n = 1136 women (postpartum); Age: M = 27.5 years (SD = 6.5); Children's age: M = 11.4 months (SD = 3.7); Gender ratio: 100 % female; Parental marital status: not reported |
PTSS: 40.6 % (n = 431) of mothers; Depressive symptoms: 29.5 % (n = 305) of mothers; Anxiety symptoms: 25.9 % (n = 266) of mothers as probable GAD cases; Compared to baseline, the prevalence of depression and anxiety was 5.7- and 2.4-fold higher, respectively (p < .001) |
| Molgora and Accordini, 2020 | Cross-sectional; Italy; 2020, March 1–May 3; n = 186 women (postpartum); Age: M = 33.01 years (SD = 4.19); Children's age: under 6 months; Gender ratio: 100 % female; Parental marital status: 58.6 % married to the father of their child, 41.4 % cohabiting |
PTSD: 16.7 % of women with high risk for PTSD; Depressive symptoms: 26.3 % (n = 49) of women affected by clinical depression; Anxiety symptoms: 57.7 % (n = 98) of women affected by clinical state anxiety, 46.2 % (n = 86) of women affected by clinical trait anxiety |
| Orsini et al., 2021 | Cross-sectional; Italy (Pisa, Bologna, Pavia); 2020, 1 April 1–30; n = 96 parents; Age: M = 40.79 years (SD = 8.22); Children's age: not reported; Gender ratio: 62.5 % female; Parental marital status: 78.1 % married or cohabiting |
PTSS: 39.6 % (n = 38) of parents affected by moderate to severe PTSS, mothers higher than fathers (p = .013); Depressive symptoms: 24 % (n = 23) of parents affected by moderate to severe depressive symptoms; Anxiety symptoms: 40.6 % (n = 39) of parents affected by moderate to severe anxiety symptoms; |
| Ostacoli et al., 2020 | Cross-sectional; Italy (Torino); 2020, June 15–29; n = 163 women (postpartum); Age: M = 34.77 years (SD = 5.01); Children's age: under 3 months; Gender ratio: 100 % female; Parental marital status: 93.3 % married or cohabiting |
PTSS: 42.9 % (n = 70) of women affected by mild PTSS, and 29.4 % (n = 48) of women concerning moderate PTSS; Depressive symptoms: 44.2 % (n = 72) of women (≥11) 30.7 % (n = 50) of women (≥13) affected by presence of depressive symptoms |
| Stallard et al., 2021 | Cross-sectional; Portugal & UK; 2020, May–27 June; n = 385 caregivers (Portuguese: n = 185; UK: n = 200); Age: not reported; Children's age: 6–16 years; Gender ratio: 88.6 % mothers; Parental marital status: 79.7 % intact nuclear family |
Well-being: 25.7 % (n = 99) of caregivers with high risk of depression, more caregivers in the UK falling below the threshold for risk of depression than in Portugal (p = .003); GAD: 21.6 % (n = 83) of caregivers affected by moderate anxiety |
| Wade et al., 2021 | Cross-sectional (with baseline two months earlier); UK, USA, Canada, Australia; 2020, May–July; n = 491 caregivers (Information for 549 assessed caregivers): Age: M = 41.33 years (SD = 6.33); Children's age: 5–18 years; Gender ratio: 68 % female; Parental marital status: 90 % married/common-law |
No prevalence rates reported; Female caregivers reported higher COVID stress/disruption compared to male caregivers (p < .001); Female caregivers reported more distress (p < .001), anxiety (p < .001), and PTSS (p = .002) compared to male caregivers |
Note. M = mean; SD = standard deviation; p = p-value; n = sample size; PTSD = post-traumatic stress disorder; PTSS = post-traumatic stress symptoms; GAD = generalized anxiety disorder.