A Structural Equation Model for Posttraumatic Growth among Cured Patients with COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#This study aimed to develop and test a model for posttraumatic growth among cured patients with COVID-19. This model was based on Calhoun and Tedeschi’s Posttraumatic Growth model and a literature review. @*Methods@#The participants comprised 223 patients cured from COVID-19 who were ≥ 19 years of age. The data were collected through an online questionnaire from March 21 to 24, 2022.The assessment tools included the Impact of Event Scale Revised Korean version, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Distress Dis-closure Index, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Korean version of the Event-related Rumination Inventory, and the Korean version of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS version 24.0 and IBM AMOS 26.0. @*Results@#The modified model showed appropriate goodness of fit (χ 2 = 369.90, χ 2 /degree of freedom = 2.09, SRMR = .09, RMESA = .07, CFI = .94, TLI = .93). The post-traumatic growth of cured patients with COVID-19 was explained through distress perception, self-disclosure, and deliberate rumination, with the explanatory power being 70.0%. @*Conclusion@#This study suggests preparing a disaster psychology program involving experts who can activate deliberate rumination is necessary. Further, this study may serve as basic data for developing a program to enhance the post-traumatic growth of patients cured from COVID-19.