AGİT AKYEL, MARGÖRİT RİTA KRESPİ ÜLGEN
Current Research and Reviews in Psychology and Psychiatry - 2024;4(1):15-34
The characteristics of the COVID-19 pandemic such as increased cases and deaths, quarantine and curfews that lasted for days, restrictions in personal and social lives had been potentially traumatic for many individuals. This study examined the relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (ICP; Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTS symptoms), post-traumatic growth (PTG), distruption in core beliefs (DCB), and cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERS). The sample of the study consisted of 655 individuals living in Türkiye, of which 384 were female and 271 were male. In addition to Demographic Information Form, data were gathered by using the Impact of Events Scale (IES-R), the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Core Beliefs Inventory (CBI) and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale (CERS). Data were analysed by using SPSS IBM 23 program and PROCESS Macro v.4.1 plug-in. The findings showed that PTG growth was positively and significantly associated with ICP, DCB and CERS. The findings also showed that DCB and some CERS mediated the relationship between the ICP and PTG. Findings indicated that during the COVID-19 pandemic, PTS symptoms and PTG could occur together. Moreover, findings indicated that during this process DCB and CERS played an important role. The present findings were discussed in the light of the relevant literature, and various recommendations were made for clinical practice and future studies.
