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Linguistic Predictors of Psychological Adjustment in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Castiglioni

    (Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa”, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy)

  • Cristina Liviana Caldiroli

    (Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa”, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy)

  • Attà Negri

    (Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy)

  • Gian Mauro Manzoni

    (Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy)

  • Rossella Procaccia

    (Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy)

Abstract

COVID-19 broke out in China in December 2019 and rapidly became a worldwide pandemic that demanded an extraordinary response from healthcare workers (HCWs). Studies conducted during the pandemic observed severe depression and PTSD in HCWs. Identifying early predictors of mental health disorders in this population is key to informing effective treatment and prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate the power of language-based variables to predict PTSD and depression symptoms in HCWs. One hundred thirty-five HCWs (mean age = 46.34; SD = 10.96) were randomly assigned to one of two writing conditions: expressive writing (EW n = 73) or neutral writing (NW n = 62) and completed three writing sessions. PTSD and depression symptoms were assessed both pre- and post-writing. LIWC was used to analyze linguistic markers of four trauma-related variables (cognitive elaboration, emotional elaboration, perceived threat to life, and self-immersed processing). Changes in PTSD and depression were regressed onto the linguistic markers in hierarchical multiple regression models. The EW group displayed greater changes on the psychological measures and in terms of narrative categories deployed than the NW group. Changes in PTSD symptoms were predicted by cognitive elaboration, emotional elaboration, and perceived threat to life; changes in depression symptoms were predicted by self-immersed processing and cognitive elaboration. Linguistic markers can facilitate the early identification of vulnerability to mental disorders in HCWs involved in public health emergencies. We discuss the clinical implications of these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Castiglioni & Cristina Liviana Caldiroli & Attà Negri & Gian Mauro Manzoni & Rossella Procaccia, 2023. "Linguistic Predictors of Psychological Adjustment in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4482-:d:1086203
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alessandro Gennaro & Matteo Reho & Tiziana Marinaci & Barbara Cordella & Marco Castiglioni & Cristina Liviana Caldiroli & Claudia Venuleo, 2023. "Social Environment and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Anti-Contagious Measures: An Explorative Study from Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Monia Vagni & Tiziana Maiorano & Valeria Giostra & Daniela Pajardi, 2020. "Hardiness, Stress and Secondary Trauma in Italian Healthcare and Emergency Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Andreas Chatzittofis & Maria Karanikola & Kyriaki Michailidou & Anastasia Constantinidou, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-8, February.
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    1. Attà Negri & Arianna Barazzetti & Alice Rinzivillo & Rachele Mariani & Cinzia Di Monte, 2024. "Cognitive and Relational Processes Associated to Mental Health in Italian High School Students during COVID-19 and Russian–Ukrainian War Outbreaks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Marco Castiglioni & Cristina Liviana Caldiroli & Rossella Procaccia & Federica Conte & Robert A. Neimeyer & Claudia Zamin & Anna Paladino & Attà Negri, 2023. "The Up-Side of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are Core Belief Violation and Meaning Making Associated with Post-Traumatic Growth?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-16, May.

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