Shift-and-persist strategies as a potential protective factor against symptoms of psychological distress among young adults in Puerto Rico

Objective: Residents of Puerto Rico are disproportionately exposed to social and environmental stressors (e.g., Hurricane María and the 2020 sequence of tremors) known to be associated with psychological distress. Shift-and-persist (SP), or the ability to adapt the self to stressors while preserving focus on the future, has been linked with lower psychological distress, but no study has evaluated this in Puerto Rico. This study examined the association between SP and psychological distress (including that from natural disasters) in a sample of young adults in Puerto Rico.

Methods: Data from the Puerto Rico-OUTLOOK study (18-29 y) were used. Participants (n = 1497) completed assessments between September 2020 and September 2022. SP was measured with the Chen scale and categorized into quartiles (SPQ1-SPQ4). Psychological distress included symptoms of depression (CESD-10), anxiety (STAI-10), post-traumatic stress disorder (Civilian Abbreviated Scale PTSD checklist), and ataque de nervios (an idiom of distress used by Latinx groups). Outcomes were dichotomized according to clinical cutoffs when available, otherwise used sample-based cutoffs. Two additional items assessed the perceived mental health impact of Hurricane María and the 2020 sequence of tremors (categorized as no/little impact vs. some/a lot). Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated.

Results: The most commonly reported psychological distress outcome was PTSD (77%). In adjusted models, compared to SP Q1, persons in SP Q2-Q4 were less likely to have elevated symptoms of depression (PR Q2 = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.72-0.85; PR Q3 = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.58-0.73; and PR Q4 = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.35-0.48), PTSD (PR Q2 = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.87-0.98; PR Q3 = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.80-0.93; and PR Q4 = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.70-0.83), anxiety (PR Q2 = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.31-0.48; PR Q3 = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.20-0.37; and PR Q4 = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.07-0.17) and experiences of ataque de nervios (PR Q2 = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.76-0.94; PR Q3 = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.70-0.90; and PR Q4 = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.60-0.78). Compared to persons in SP Q1, persons in SP Q3-Q4 were less likely to report adverse mental health impacts from Hurricane María (PR Q3 = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.55-0.79; and PR Q4 = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.44-0.65) and the 2020 sequence of tremors (PR Q3 = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61-0.98; and PR Q4 = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.59-0.94).

Conclusion: SP was associated with lower psychological distress. Studies are needed to confirm our findings and evaluate potential mechanisms of action.