The Association Between Having Been Quarantined or Isolated during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Perceived Stress in Students, and the Possible Moderation Effect of a Hisory of Childhood Maltreatment

The current study aimed to investigate whether having been quarantined/ isolated during the Covid-19 pandemic is associated with perceived stress in students in the Netherlands, even after the initial quarantine/ isolation period. Additionally, it was explored whether having a history of childhood maltreatment moderated this relationship. A sample consisting of 2475 participants, of whom 1881 were female and 594 were male, was recruited using convenience sampling. Participants were asked to fill in several questionnaires, among which a shortened version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS_10), a shortened version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) and questions concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. Having been quarantined/ isolated and having experienced childhood maltreatment were hypothesized to be associated with a heightened perceived stress level. Further, having a history of childhood maltreatment was hypothesized to have an effect on the relation between quarantine/...Show moreThe current study aimed to investigate whether having been quarantined/ isolated during the Covid-19 pandemic is associated with perceived stress in students in the Netherlands, even after the initial quarantine/ isolation period. Additionally, it was explored whether having a history of childhood maltreatment moderated this relationship. A sample consisting of 2475 participants, of whom 1881 were female and 594 were male, was recruited using convenience sampling. Participants were asked to fill in several questionnaires, among which a shortened version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS_10), a shortened version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) and questions concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. Having been quarantined/ isolated and having experienced childhood maltreatment were hypothesized to be associated with a heightened perceived stress level. Further, having a history of childhood maltreatment was hypothesized to have an effect on the relation between quarantine/ isolation and perceived stress. Regression analyses revealed significant effects of both quarantine/ isolation and childhood maltreatment on perceived stress. A moderation analysis showed that this association was not moderated by childhood maltreatment. Thus, the findings confirmed the first as well as the second hypothesis. However, the third hypothesis could not be confirmed within this study. This study contributes to a growing body of research concerning mental health effects of Covid-19 measurements. It stresses potential long-term effects in students and the need for future research to explore underlying mechanisms of the findings.Show less

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The Association Between Having Been Quarantined or Isolated during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Perceived Stress in Students, and the Possible Moderation Effect of a Hisory of Childhood Maltreatment