AUTHOR=Liao Zhenxin , Zhang Xueyan , Wang Yingwen , Wang Tingwei , Li Xinyu , Zhao Mingyi , Zhuang Quan TITLE=Delayed-Onset PTSD and Coping Strategies of Chinese College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sociology VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2021 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sociology/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.734738 DOI=10.3389/fsoc.2021.734738 ISSN=2297-7775 ABSTRACT=

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic, and many Chinese college students both in China and abroad were house-quarantined. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and symptoms of delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and coping strategies among Chinese overseas and domestic college students during this pandemic. A questionnaire was opportunistically distributed to Chinese college students studying both domestically and abroad six months after the COVID-19 outbreak. The questionnaire consisted of IES-R, SCSQ, and SSRS. The average score of delayed-onset PTSD in our population was 21.411 (full mark, 88 points), which reflected a total high level of delayed-onset PTSD symptoms. Statistical differences were shown between students who have been back to universities during the pandemic or not in the hyperarousal dimension (p = 0.016). Three coping strategies were recognized to influence the respondent’s delayed-onset PTSD symptoms, and there was a significant correlation between social support and the coping strategies students chose. A moderate to high level of delayed-onset PTSD was observed among both Chinese overseas and domestic college students 6 months after the COVID-19 outbreak. The useful coping strategies and powerful social supports are significantly important to help them stay mentally healthy and alleviate delayed-onset PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic.