Abstract
Background: The global outbreak of COVID-19set new challenges and threats for every human being. In the psychological field it is similar to deep existential crises or a traumatic experience that may lead to the appearance or exacerbation of a serious mental disorder and loss of life meaning and satisfaction. Courtney et al. (2020) discussed deadly pandemic COVID-19 in the light of TMT theory and named it as global contagion of mortality that personally affected every human being. Such unique conditions activate existential fears as people start to be aware of their own mortality. Objective: The main aim of this study was to test the mediating effect of existential anxiety, activated by COVID-19 and life satisfaction (SWLS) on the relationship between PTSD symptoms and post-traumatic growth (PTG). We also examined the moderated mediating effect of severity of trauma symptoms on life satisfaction and existential anxiety and its associations with PTG. Method: We conducted an online survey during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Poland. The participants completed existential anxiety scale (SNE), life satisfaction scale (SWLS), IES-R scale for measuring the level of PTSD symptoms and post-traumatic growth inventory (PTGI). Results: The effect of PTSD on PTG was found to be mediated by existential anxiety and life satisfaction. We also confirmed two indirect effects: (1) the indirect effect of PTSD on PTG via existential anxiety and life satisfaction tested simultaneously; (2) the indirect effect of life satisfaction on PTG through severity of trauma symptoms. An intermediate or high level of PTSD level was related to less PTG when low and full PTSD stress symptoms strengthened PTG experiences. Conclusions: A therapeutic intervention for individuals after traumatic experience should attempt to include fundamental existential questions and meaning of life as well as the severity of PTSD symptoms. The severity of traumatic sensations may affect the relationship between life satisfaction and post-traumatic growth.
Highlights
The findings of our studies suggest that struggling with past trauma distress symptoms is connected with existential crises indicated by high existential anxiety felt during pandemic COVID-19, and both may diminish life satisfaction and post-traumatic growth (PTG)
The findings of this study increase the understanding of the association between post-traumatic symptoms and growth as well as between post-traumatic growth inventory (PTGI) and other psychological constructs that are important aspects of functioning in a distress-related situation, i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic
The most important conclusions from the research are that: (1) existential anxiety may modulate the relationship between post-traumatic stress symptoms disorder (PTSD) symptoms and PTG; (2) PTSD symptoms may impact indirectly PTG via existential anxiety and life satisfaction; (3) the severity of traumatic sensations can affect the relationship between life satisfaction and post-traumatic growth
Summary
As Temple et al [1] stated it is inevitable for human beings to experience anxiety that concerns death, isolation, emptiness, freedom, and meaninglessness As such, it changes individuals’ interactions and relation to self, others, and the world. Courtney et al (2020) discussed deadly pandemic COVID-19 in the light of TMT theory and named it as global contagion of mortality that personally affected every human being. Such unique conditions activate existential fears as people start to be aware of their own mortality. Objective: The main aim of this study was to test the mediating effect of existential anxiety, activated by COVID-19 and life satisfaction (SWLS) on the relationship between PTSD symptoms and post-traumatic growth (PTG). An intermediate or high level of PTSD level was related to less PTG when low and full
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