Coping profiles and their association with vicarious post-traumatic growth among nurses during the three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIMS: This study aimed to examine (a) changes in coping strategies and vicarious post-traumatic growth (VPTG) across three timepoints of the COVID-19 pandemic among nurses; (b) discrete groups of nurses with unique coping profiles and (c) the association of these coping profiles with VPTG across the timepoints. BACKGROUND: Although literature abounds with the negative mental health consequences of the pandemic among healthcare professionals, much less is known about the positive consequences on nurses, the coping strategies that they use, and how these change over time. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional web-based survey at three timepoints during the pandemic. METHODS: A sample of 429 nurses completed online the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE) to measure vicarious post-traumatic growth (VPTG) and coping strategies, respectively. The STROBE checklist was used to report the present study. RESULTS: Significantly higher VPTG scores were observed during the third timepoint. Different coping strategies were employed across the three timepoints. Nurses responded to the pandemic either with an active, an avoidant or a passive coping profile. Significantly higher VPTG levels were reported by the nurses of the active profile compared to those of the passive profile, whereas the difference between active and avoidant profiles was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Notwithstanding the preponderance of the nurses with the active coping profile in achieving high VPTG, the avoidant copers had more gains (VPTG) than the passive copers, suggesting that doing something to cope with the stressor-let it be trying to avoid it-was better than doing nothing. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The identification of distinct coping profiles among nurses and their association with VPTG is of particular use to policymakers and practitioners in developing tailored prevention and intervention efforts to help the nurses effectively manage the demands of the pandemic. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution since the study was exclusively conducted by the authors.

The Silver Lining of Posttraumatic Growth around the Dark Side of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A School-Based Intervention with Mindfulness and Character Strengths Practices among Children.

The theory of posttraumatic growth (PTG) proposes that from life difficulties positive changes can happen, such as deepened personal relationships and an awareness of new possibilities in life. PTG can occur naturally or can be facilitated. This study aimed to promote PTG through a school-based intervention of eight sessions of 45 min each with mindfulness and character strengths practices (the so-called "The exploration of happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic"). The study conducted assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (i.e., one month after the intervention). The post-intervention results showed that the participants in the intervention group experienced an improvement in PTG, well-being, mindfulness, strengths use, and PTS symptoms compared to the children in the control group. Furthermore, these positive changes were sustained at follow-up. The findings of this study highlight that mindfulness-based strengths practices can increase positive outcomes (i.e., well-being, posttraumatic growth) and reduce negative psychological symptoms (PTS) among children. The implications for theory and practice are discussed, and detailed appendices for practitioners are provided.

Secondary traumatic stress and dissociative coping strategies in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: The protective role of resilience.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are repeatedly exposed to acute stress at their workplace, and therefore, they are at high risk for developing mental health symptoms. The prolonged exposure of healthcare professionals may lead to Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). STS is an aspect of "cost of care", the natural consequence of providing care to people who suffer physically or psychologically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of STS in nurses during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece and to detect aggravating and protective factors. Participants were 222 nurses (87.4 % women; mean age 42.3 years) who completed an online survey. The questionnaire comprised of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory. Nurses had high levels of STS. The hierarchical regression analyses showed that STS and its dimensions Avoidance and Arousal were positively predicted mainly by denial and self-distraction coping strategies and inversely by resilience. Resilience exhibited a protective (partial mediation) effect on the strong relationship between the dissociative coping strategies (denial, self-distraction, venting and behavioral disengagement) and STS. Trauma-informed care psychosocial interventions are needed to support the already overburdened nursing staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms during the first and second COVID-19 lockdown in Greece: Rates, risk, and protective factors.

The aim was to (i) compare the rates of perceived stress, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and other potential correlates (i.e., resilience, social support, coping strategies, and loneliness) in the general population between the two COVID-19 lockdowns in Greece and (ii) explore risk and protective factors of PTSS. Online data were collected amid the first (timepoint 1-T1) and second lockdown (timepoint 2-T2) by 1009 and 352 participants, respectively. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 and the Perceived Stress Scale measured levels of PTSS and perceived stress. The Brief Resilience Scale, the COPE, the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the ENRICHD Social Support Instrument measured resilience, coping strategies, loneliness, and social support, respectively. Higher levels of PTSS and perceived stress were reported during T2, compared to T1. Clinically significant levels of PTSS were presented by 26.1% and 35.5% of the participants during T1 and T2, respectively. Higher levels of loneliness and use of maladaptive coping strategies and lower levels of social support, resilience and use of adaptive coping strategies were also found. During both lockdowns, PTSS were predicted by perceived stress, loneliness, reduced resilience and the coping strategies of denial and self-blame. PTSS were associated with younger age, female gender, being single, not having children, and the evaluation of the pandemic as a crisis. The findings highlight the significant public mental health concerns during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Understanding the risk and protective factors against PTSS and focusing on vulnerable populations should be prioritized by the governments worldwide in the development of evidence-based interventions.

From secondary traumatic stress to vicarious posttraumatic growth amid COVID-19 lockdown in Greece: The role of health care workers' coping strategies.

OBJECTIVE: Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk for suffering negative psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as secondary traumatic stress symptoms (STS), as they are exposed to this traumatic experience both directly, as community residents, and indirectly, in the care of infected patients. Following vicarious exposure, positive psychological outcomes, such as vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG), are also likely, though they are less studied. The present study aims to examine (a) the associations among STS, VPTG, and coping strategies among HCWs during the COVID-19 lockdown and (b) the mediating role of coping strategies in the STS-VPTG relationship. METHOD: Cross-sectional online data were collected amid the COVID-19 lockdown in Greece (March 23, 2020 through May 3, 2020) from a sample of 647 HCWs (25% men, 75% women). The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory, and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory were used to measure STS, VPTG, and coping strategies, respectively. RESULTS: HCWs reported moderate to low levels of STS and VPTG, with the VPTG dimensions of personal strength and appreciation of life being the highest categories. Intrusions mental and both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies predicted VPTG. Adaptive coping strategies partially mediated the relationship between STS and VPTG, whereas maladaptive coping strategies fully mediated this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the coping responses during lockdown among HCWs is important for developing tailored prevention and intervention actions to protect the populations at risk from the deleterious impacts of uncontrollable and life-threatening diseases and promote posttraumatic growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).