Post-Traumatic Growth and Resilience among Hospitalized COVID-19 Survivors: A Gendered Analysis

Abstract

The literature on behavioral outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is inundated with mental health burdens such as depression and stress disorders. The current study investigated gender invariance on resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG) as positive psychological changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 381 survivors of the COVID-19 infection completed measurements of resilience, PTG, violence and stigma experience, and mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, multivariate regression, and a latent profile analysis. The results revealed that more than half of the participants had high scores on resilience (53.6%) and PTG (60.9%). The positive psychological changes, although independent of each other, were moderated by gender, and influenced by the negative experiences of participants such as stigma, violence, and PTSD. Latent profile analyses revealed three classes of participants, two of which were characterized by high scores on mental health problems and PTG. The clusters were invariant across gender. Surviving COVID-19 contributed to resilience and PTG. These can be targeted for intervention programs to mitigate the mental health burden occasioned by the pandemic.

relationship of resilience and social support with post-traumatic growth

“…that the ability to adapt to unpleasant situations and recover quickly from trauma through resilience structures, PTG and coping strategies has been studied. Many researches indicate that the variable of resilience as a dynamic process makes people face stressful issues in life in an appropriate way ( 12,47 ). Resilience gives people the ability to face problems and even consider these situations as an opportunity to improve and grow their personality ( 48 ).…”

“…Researchers have defined resilience as a process, ability or outcome of successful adaptation to threatening environmental conditions, which plays an important role in dealing with stresses and threats to life and its adverse effects ( 14). It is important to pay attention to resilience in a context dominated by trauma, adversity, and hardship, because resilient people have the capacity for positive experiences and emotions and can delay experiences of disruption in their daily functioning (12). In addition, the impact of resilience on adverse experiences can also increase the richness of studies ( 15).…”

Factors Associated with Post-Traumatic Growth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

“…Other studies have examined the presence of positive changes that occurred in people’s lives as they attempted to cope with this adverse event [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]; these positive changes can be identified with the process of post-traumatic growth (PTG). According to Tedeschi and Calhoun’s model [ 17 ], post-traumatic growth is an individual’s experience of significant positive change arising from the struggle with a major life crisis.…”

Perceived stigma and post‐traumatic growth among potentially COVID‐19‐infected individuals inside and outside Wuhan: The mediating role of identity

“…Post-traumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive changes experienced by an individual after a crisis, which is characterized by changed self-perception (e.g., a greater sense of one's potential and life's meaning), strengthened relationships with others, and/or transformed life philosophy (e.g., life priorities and possibilities) (Muldoon et al, 2020). Evidence suggests high prevalence rates of PTG in multiple populations who may experience stigma during the pandemic (Yuan et al, 2022), such as Chinese students (66.9%; Chi et al, 2020), healthcare professionals (76.8%; Feingold et al, 2022), and COVID-19 survivors (60.9%; Adjorlolo et al, 2022). Research on previous experiences, as in the case of SARS and Ebola, has also depicted an image with positive changes and cognitive reconstruction (Chew et al, 2020).…”