The posttraumatic growth inventory-short form (PTGI-SF): A psychometric study of the spanish population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

People can experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) when faced with potentially traumatic events. One of the most widely-used instruments to measure PTG is the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF). However, it has not been validated for the Spanish population. This study explored the psychometric properties of the PTGI-SF in adults living in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since it is a global disaster, two items were added to assess communal PTG. The participants were adult inhabitants of Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 855). They completed the PTGI-SF in July 2020, along with the Impact of Event Scale – Revised to measure symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They also rated the degree to which they perceived the COVID-19 crisis as being severe. In November 2020, 592 participants once again completed the PTGI-SF. The factorial validity o was tested by Structural Equations Modeling (SEM). McDonald’s ω coefficients were calculated to test internal consistency. The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was obtained to assess test–retest reliability. Sensitivity and criterion-related validity were assessed by exploring the association of the PTGI-SF scores with gender, age, PTSD symptoms, and perceived severity. Results indicated good psychometric properties for an eight-item, four-factor structure of the inventory in terms of structural validity, reliability, sensitivity and criterion-related validity. These factors were: Relating to Others, Personal Strength, Spiritual Change, and Life Value and Opportunities. Communal PTG overlapped with social PTG, and therefore it was not included. Cultural differences need to be addressed when measuring PTG, especially in terms of spiritual growth.