IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v22y2021i7d10.1007_s10902-020-00352-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Post-Traumatic Growth and Stress-Related Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a National Representative Sample: The Role of Positive Core Beliefs About the World and Others

Author

Listed:
  • Carmelo Vazquez

    (Complutense University of Madrid)

  • Carmen Valiente

    (Complutense University of Madrid)

  • Felipe E. García

    (Universidad Santo Tomás
    Universidad de Concepción)

  • Alba Contreras

    (Complutense University of Madrid)

  • Vanesa Peinado

    (Complutense University of Madrid)

  • Almudena Trucharte

    (Complutense University of Madrid)

  • Richard P. Bentall

    (University of Sheffield)

Abstract

Given the need to understand both the negative and positive psychological consequences of the current global COVID-19 pandemic (Brewin et al. in Perspectives in Public Health https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913920957365 2020), the aim of this study was to test a cognitive model of post-traumatic symptoms (PTS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) during confinement caused by the SARS-COV-2 epidemic. In line with cognitive models of trauma elaboration (Park in Psychological Bulletin https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018301 ), we included in our model some beliefs associated to the world (e.g., primal beliefs about a good world), to the self (e.g., death anxiety or orientation toward the future) and to others (e.g., suspiciousness or identification with humanity). To evaluate the explanatory model, a national representative sample of adults between the ages of 18 and 75 (N = 1951) was surveyed between 7th and 13th April, 2020, in the middle of a strict 7-week national confinement. Structural equation modelling yielded a very similar model to the one initially specified. The results highlight the role of both negative and positive core beliefs, which are pertinent to the current pandemic threat, in the appearance of PTS and PTG, respectively. In short, primal beliefs about a good world, openness to the future and identification with humanity were associated with PTG; while suspiciousness, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety about death and also identification with humanity were associated with PTS and consequent impairment. This is an innovative study of different pathways to traumatic responses and growth during a pandemic. Future research is needed to replicate its findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Carmelo Vazquez & Carmen Valiente & Felipe E. García & Alba Contreras & Vanesa Peinado & Almudena Trucharte & Richard P. Bentall, 2021. "Post-Traumatic Growth and Stress-Related Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a National Representative Sample: The Role of Positive Core Beliefs About the World and Others," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 2915-2935, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00352-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00352-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-020-00352-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-020-00352-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cristiano Codagnone & Francesco Bogliacino & Camilo Gómez & Rafael Charris & Felipe Montealegre & Giovanni Liva & Francisco Lupiáñez-Villanueva & Frans Folkvord & Giuseppe A Veltri, 2020. "Assessing concerns for the economic consequence of the COVID-19 response and mental health problems associated with economic vulnerability and negative economic shock in Italy, Spain, and the United K," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Na, Peter J. & Tsai, Jack & Southwick, Steven M. & Pietrzak, Robert H., 2021. "Factors associated with post-traumatic growth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from a national sample of U.S. military veterans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    2. Yining Ma & Hui Wang & Hao Chai & Jian Zhu & Xinyi Lin & Hui Huang & Zaoyi Sun, 2024. "Chinese college students’ post-traumatic growth during the COVID-19: a grounded theory study," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Valerie Hervieux & Hans Ivers & Claude Fernet & Caroline Biron, 2022. "The Role of Job Control and Job Demands in Becoming Physically Active during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-12, February.
    4. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Richard B. Scott & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Catalyst Twenty-Twenty: Post-Traumatic Growth at Scales of Person, Place and Planet," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, March.
    5. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Alexandra Sandu & Chris Taylor & Jennifer May Hampton, 2024. "Children’s Subjective Well-Being During the Coronavirus Pandemic," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(1), pages 309-347, February.
    6. Zhifeng Wang & Dongmei Wang, 2021. "The influence and enlightenment of five public health emergencies on public psychology since new century: A systematic review," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(7), pages 878-891, November.
    7. Alvisa Palese & Maddalena Peghin & Valentina Bressan & Margherita Venturini & Valentina Gerussi & Giulia Bontempo & Elena Graziano & Erica Visintini & Carlo Tascini, 2022. "One Word to Describe My Experience as a COVID-19 Survivor Six Months after Its Onset: Findings of a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    8. Cátia Branquinho & Anabela Caetano Santos & Catarina Noronha & Lúcia Ramiro & Margarida Gaspar Matos, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic and the Second Lockdown: The 3rd Wave of the Disease Through the Voice of Youth," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(1), pages 199-216, February.
    9. Grzegorz Józef Nowicki & Barbara Ślusarska & Bożena Zboina & Aneta Jędrzejewska & Marzena Kotus, 2022. "Factors Predicting Post-Traumatic Positive and Negative Psychological Changes Experienced by Nurses during a Pandemic COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-18, June.
    10. Piotr Skórka & Beata Grzywacz & Dawid Moroń & Magdalena Lenda, 2022. "COVID-19 in Memes: The Adaptive Response of Societies to the Pandemic?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-24, October.
    11. Kailin Cheng & Jiangqun Liao, 2023. "Coping with Coronavirus Pandemic: Risk Perception Predicts Life Optimism," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 351-371, January.
    12. Brigitte Lueger-Schuster & Irina Zrnić Novaković & Annett Lotzin, 2022. "Two Years of COVID-19 in Austria—Exploratory Longitudinal Study of Mental Health Outcomes and Coping Behaviors in the General Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-18, July.
    13. Giovanni Busetta & Maria Gabriella Campolo & Demetrio Panarello, 2024. "Changes in Daily Life Habits during COVID-19 and Their Transitory and Permanent Effects on Italian University Students’ Anxiety Level," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 19(4), pages 1711-1733, August.
    14. Sagrario Segado & Eva Sotomayor & Javier Páez Gallego, 2023. "Relative Immunity: COVID-19 Pandemic Effects on the Emotional State, Economy, Leisure, and Socialization of Young People in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, April.
    15. 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.
    16. Natale Canale & Claudia Marino & Michela Lenzi & Alessio Vieno & Mark D. Griffiths & Marta Gaboardi & Matteo Giraldo & Carmen Cervone & Santinello Massimo, 2022. "How Communication Technology Fosters Individual and Social Wellbeing During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Preliminary Support For a Digital Interaction Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 727-745, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Étienne St-Jean & Maripier Tremblay, 2023. "Turbulence and adaptations to the coronavirus crisis: resources, coping and effects on stress and wellbeing of entrepreneurs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1153-1175, September.
    2. Natale Canale & Claudia Marino & Michela Lenzi & Alessio Vieno & Mark D. Griffiths & Marta Gaboardi & Matteo Giraldo & Carmen Cervone & Santinello Massimo, 2022. "How Communication Technology Fosters Individual and Social Wellbeing During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Preliminary Support For a Digital Interaction Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 727-745, February.
    3. Rossouw, Stephanié & Greyling, Talita, 2022. "Collective emotions and macro-level shocks: COVID-19 vs the Ukrainian war," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1210, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Costa-Font, Joan & Knapp, Martin & Vilaplana-Prieto, Cristina, 2023. "The ‘welcomed lockdown’ hypothesis? Mental wellbeing and mobility restrictions," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115323, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Lisa M. Fucito & Krysten W. Bold & Sydney Cannon & Alison Serrantino & Rebecca Marrero & Stephanie S. O’Malley, 2022. "Cigarette Smoking in Response to COVID-19: Examining Co-Morbid Medical Conditions and Risk Perceptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Muhammad Khalid Anser & Muhammad Azhar Khan & Khalid Zaman & Abdelmohsen A. Nassani & Sameh E. Askar & Muhammad Moinuddin Qazi Abro & Ahmad Kabbani, 2021. "Financial development during COVID-19 pandemic: the role of coronavirus testing and functional labs," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Abel Brodeur & David Gray & Anik Islam & Suraiya Bhuiyan, 2021. "A literature review of the economics of COVID‐19," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1007-1044, September.
    8. Joan Costa-Font & Martin Knapp & Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto, 2023. "The ‘welcomed lockdown’ hypothesis? Mental wellbeing and mobility restrictions," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 24(5), pages 679-699, July.
    9. Francesco Bogliacino & Rafael Charris & Camilo Gómez & Felipe Montealegre & Cristiano Codagnone, 2021. "Expert endorsement and the legitimacy of public policy. Evidence from Covid19 mitigation strategies," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3-4), pages 394-415, April.
    10. Francesco Bogliacino & Cristiano Codagnone & Frans Folkvord & Francisco Lupiáñez-Villanueva, 2023. "The impact of labour market shocks on mental health: evidence from the Covid-19 first wave," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 40(3), pages 899-930, October.
    11. Catarina Midões & Mateo Seré, 2022. "Living with Reduced Income: An Analysis of Household Financial Vulnerability Under COVID-19," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 125-149, May.
    12. Onur Akdaş & Magdalena Cismaru, 2022. "Promoting mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: the transtheoretical model of change and social marketing approach," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 19(3), pages 447-474, September.
    13. Castillo, Jose Gabriel & Hernandez, Manuel A., 2023. "The unintended consequences of confinement: Evidence from the rural area in Guatemala," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    14. Bazzana, Davide & Cohen, Jed J. & Golinucci, Nicolò & Hafner, Manfred & Noussan, Michel & Reichl, Johannes & Rocco, Matteo Vincenzo & Sciullo, Alessandro & Vergalli, Sergio, 2022. "A multi-disciplinary approach to estimate the medium-term impact of COVID-19 on transport and energy: A case study for Italy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PC).
    15. Davide Torre & Danilo Liuzzi & Rosario Maggistro & Simone Marsiglio, 2022. "Mobility Choices and Strategic Interactions in a Two-Group Macroeconomic–Epidemiological Model," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 110-132, March.
    16. Sándor Kovács & Mohammad Fazle Rabbi & Domicián Máté, 2021. "Global Food Security, Economic and Health Risk Assessment of the COVID-19 Epidemic," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(19), pages 1-16, September.
    17. Wei Liang & Yanping Duan & Min Yang & Borui Shang & Chun Hu & Yanping Wang & Julien Steven Baker, 2021. "Behavioral and Mental Responses towards the COVID-19 Pandemic among Chinese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, November.
    18. Cristiano Codagnone & Francesco Bogliacino & Camilo Gómez & Frans Folkvord & Giovanni Liva & Rafael Charris & Felipe Montealegre & Francisco Lupiañez Villanueva & Giuseppe A. Veltri, 2021. "Restarting “Normal” Life after Covid-19 and the Lockdown: Evidence from Spain, the United Kingdom, and Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 241-265, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00352-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.