Theoretical Frame (Research Blog 7)

People are likely to react to global uncertainty amid the pandemic in 3 ways:

1. development of a new episode of a disorder in those with a predisposition to a major psychiatric disorder or an acute exacerbation in those who already have such a disorder

2. development of a trauma or stressor related disorder, such as acute stress disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), etc.

3. development of a symptomatic stress response that does not meet the diagnostic criteria of a psychiatric disorder

Some of the long term and immediate effects include alcohol and drug abuse, PTSD, and anxiety. The pandemic is creating a global mental health crisis, the effects of which we are going to see in the future and will continue to claim lives - mental illness, PTSD, and alcohol or drug abuse are major contributing factors to suicide which is the second leading cause of death for college students. 

This framework will be the basis for explaining how college students adapted to the trauma they were faced with during the pandemic.

This is based on research about past epidemics and wide-scale tragedy ; Esterwood, Emily, and Sy Atezaz Saeed. “Past Epidemics, Natural Disasters, COVID19, and Mental Health: Learning from History as We Deal with the Present and Prepare for the Future.” Psychiatric Quarterly, vol. 91, no. 4, 2020, pp. 1121–33, doi:10.1007/s11126-020-09808-4.