Original Title:
Οι επιπτώσεις της πανδημίας COVID-19 σε ένα δείγμα Ελλήνων φοιτητών: Η σχέση της μετατραυματικής ανάπτυξης, του μετατραυματικού στρες, της προσωπικότητας και των στρατηγικών αντιμετώπισης άγχους.
Translated title:
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on a sample of Greek students: The relationship between posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress, personality and coping strategies.
Summary:
The present study examines the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on university students, a year and a half after the announcement of the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Greece. The purpose is to highlight findings with practical implications for student counseling. Specifically, the research investigates the relationship between posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress, personality factors and coping strategies. The sample consists of 228 undergraduate students, aged 18-27. Results indicated moderate to high levels of posttraumatic growth and low levels of posttraumatic stress. In addition, the majority of research hypotheses were confirmed. Specifically, posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress were positively correlated. Also, conscientiousness, extraversion and openness showed a positive correlation with posttraumatic growth, while neuroticism found to be positively correlated with the dimension of improving interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, neuroticism was positively correlated with PTSD, while conscientiousness showed a negative correlation. Women experienced higher posttraumatic stress and higher posttraumatic growth than men. Furthermore, the mediating role of coping strategies in the relationship between personality and posttraumatic growth was confirmed. In particular, seeking social support was found to mediate the relationship of extraversion, openness and neuroticism with posttraumatic growth. In addition, positive reframing mediates the relationship of conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness with posttraumatic growth. Both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies were positively correlated with posttraumatic growth. In summary, this study highlights the importance of coping strategies and personality in predicting both PTSD and PTGI during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords:
COVID-19 pandemic, university students, post-traumatic growth, post-traumatic stress, personality, coping strategies
