Earthquake, Trauma, Psychological
Conditions
Keywords
Trauma, Earthquake, Cognitive impairment
Brief summary
Individuals living in Canterbury (New Zealand) have experienced significant stress related to the Canterbury earthquake sequence. Previous research conducted at the Department of Psychological Medicine (Christchurch, New Zealand) has shown significant cognitive difficulties in a group of Cantabrians exposed to high levels of earthquake trauma. A high proportion (30%) perceive themselves to have significant cognitive difficulties, even seven years post-earthquake. People who perceive that they have cognitive difficulties find this distressing and tend to function less well in work and parenting. Understanding pathways underlying cognitive difficulties in the population is vital for developing appropriate treatments and strategies to help with this. This will be the first study to investigate rates of, and factors contributing to, perceived cognitive difficulties in a large population exposed to multiple stressors and is important for the population of Canterbury, and populations affected by natural and man-made disasters worldwide. Four hundred and sixty people who were exposed to the Canterbury earthquake sequence will be recruited from the Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS). Psychological, cognitive, functional and biological factors will be compared between those with the greatest levels of perceived cognitive difficulty and those with the lowest levels of difficulty. This will determine what factors relate most strongly to perceived cognitive difficulties, which will in turn be used to develop treatments for this population.
Interventions
OTHERTrauma exposure
Exposure to the Canterbury earthquake sequence and other relevant psychological trauma
Sponsors
University of Otago
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
44 Years to 46 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Cohort member of the Christchurch Health and Development Study (born in 1977) * Exposed to the Canterbury earthquake sequence * In the highest or lowest quartile with regards to score on the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire
Exclusion criteria
* lifetime diagnosed psychotic disorder * previous moderate to severe head injury (\> 30 minutes loss of consciousness) * current pregnancy * intellectual disability (IQ \< 80) * residing outside of Canterbury
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Subjective cognitive function | Past 6 months | Assessed with the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire Minimum score = 0, maximum score = 100, higher scores reflect worse subjective cognitive function |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Global cognitive composite | Baseline | Global cognitive composite will average Z-scores across the cognitive domains of (i) verbal learning and memory, (ii) visuospatial learning and memory, (iii) psychomotor speed, (iv) executive function, (v) working memory, (vi) sustained attention, and (vii) emotion processing. The Global cognitive composite score will be a single, averaged Z-value score, with a higher score reflecting better objective cognitive performance. |
| Verbal learning and memory | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Verbal Learning and Memory', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Visuospatial learning and memory | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Groton Maze Learning Test (CogState) will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Visuospatial Learning and Memory', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Psychomotor speed | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Timed Chase Test (CogState), Trail Making Test - Part A, and Digit Symbol Coding Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Psychomotor speed', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Executive function | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Trail Making Test - Part B and Category Fluency will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Executive function', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Working memory | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Digit Span Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Working memory', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Sustained attention | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Continuous Performance Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Sustained attention', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Facial emotion processing | Baseline | Z-scores from variables of the Facial Expression Recognition Test and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test will be averaged to create a singe Z-score for the domain of 'Facial emotion processing', with higher scores reflecting better performance. |
| Rumination | Baseline | Assessed with the Ruminative Responses Scale Minimum score = 25, maximum score = 100, higher scores reflect more severe rumination |
| Psychosocial functioning | Past 2 weeks | Assessed with the Social Adjustment Scale Minimum score = 1, maximum score = 5, higher scores reflect worse psychosocial functioning |
| Stressful life events | Past 5 years | Number of stressful life events is assessed with the Life Events Scale (adapted from the Crisis in Family Systems - Revised Questionnaire) Minimum score = 0, higher score reflects more stressful life events |
| COVID-19 impact | Past 3 years | Assessed with the COVID Psychosocial Impacts Scale (CPIS) Minimum score = 0, maximum score = 135, higher scores reflect more severe impact of COVID |
| Post-traumatic growth | Past 12 years | Assessed with the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) |
| Mental health diagnoses | Baseline | Assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) |
| Metabolic markers | Baseline | Blood levels of HbA1C, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (calc), triglycerides |
| Inflammation | Baseline | Blood levels of CRP |
| Sex hormones | Baseline | Blood levels of progesterone, LH, FSH, testosterone, SHBG (females only) |
| Metacognitive beliefs | Baseline | Assessed with the Metacognitions Questionnaire - 30-item version Minimum score = 30, maximum score = 120, higher scores reflect more problematic metacognitive beliefs Minimum score = 25, maximum score = 100, higher scores reflect more severe rumination |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Data already obtained | 1977 to current | Data will already be available from the CHDS database from birth to present, on the following relevant factors: * Childhood physical and emotional health * Childhood physical and sexual abuse * Previous stressful life event history * Lifetime mental health disorders * Traumatic brain injury * Environmental toxin exposure * Substance use * Personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, novelty-seeking) * Educational achievement and IQ * Lifestyle factors, including diet and exercise * Parental functioning measures in childhood, including parental attachment and overprotection * Family functioning measures including parental maladaptive behaviour and illicit drug use, family instability, parental intimate partner violence * Trauma exposure in adulthood (including Christchurch earthquakes and Mosque shooting) * Menstrual history to identify those in early menopause The exact variables to be used for this study, and how they are to be aggregated, are TBC. |
Countries
New Zealand
Outcome results
None listed