The Relationship Between Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Following Campus Lockdowns

Understanding the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) immediately following a potentially traumatic event is crucial for providing effective assessment and intervention. The present study examined the trajectory of OCS following two campus lockdowns, and how OCS related to PTSS in the aftermath of these events. &nbsp;Participants were campus community members from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (<em>N</em> = 287) who completed self-report measures that assessed OCS, PTSS, and general distress at five timepoints following the lockdowns. The results indicated elevated levels of OCS and that, even when general distress was controlled for, there was a significant, but moderate, relationship between OCS and PTSS immediately following the lockdowns. As time progressed, however, the relationship continued to weaken and the elevated levels of OCS dropped. The findings contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between OCS and PTSS in the context of campus-related traumatic events.