Post-traumatic Stress and Growth Among the Children and Adolescents in the Aftermath of COVID-19

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has enkindled many mental health problems across the globe. Prominent among them is the prevalence of post-traumatic stress (PTS) with hosts of its precipitating factors being present in the surrounding. With India witnessing severe impact of the second wave of COVID-19, marked by a large number of hospitalizations, deaths, unemployment, imposition of lockdowns, etc., its repercussions on children and adolescents demand particular attention. This study aims to examine the direct and the indirect exposure of COVID-19-related experiences on children and adolescents and its subsequent relationship with PTS and post-traumatic growth (PTG). The direct exposure was operationalized in terms of death or hospitalization in the family, while the indirect exposure was gauged in terms of exposure to media reports of the COVID situation. Data from 412 children and adolescents aged 9–20 years, collected online, revealed 68.9% of them with PTS. Interestingly, 39.8% of those reporting PTS were also experiencing PTG. Arousal appeared to be the most frequently reported characteristics of trauma. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) endorses significant difference between those with direct and indirect exposures to hospitalization. Those with direct exposure to hospitalization reported higher PTS. The indirect exposure of COVID-19-related news through electronic media was also significantly associated with higher PTS. Exposure through print media did not lead to significant difference in PTS, but those reading only magazines reported significantly higher PTG than not reading magazines. The findings are analyzed in the light of unfolding of events during the second wave of COVID-19 in India.

Children’s Mental Health During the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Burden, Risk Factors and Posttraumatic Growth – A Mixed-Methods Parents’ Perspective

“…In Zhang et al’s (2020) online study with 3,459 Chinese participants, perceived threat mediated the positive relationship between exposure level and mental health problems. Factors such as media coverage and perceptions of risk can be crucial for mental health ( Blendon et al, 2004 ; Otto et al, 2007 ; Bhushan et al, 2022 ). Liu et al (2020) found the concerns about the threat posed by COVID-19 to life and health was the only significant predictor of somatic symptoms in Chinese primary school children, which is consistent with our results that threat experience was the best predictor of children’s mental health outcomes.…”

“…However, despite the growing interest in PTG in the Corona crisis, few studies have examined the phenomenon in non-adults. Although some studies on PTG in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic have been conducted ( Bhushan et al, 2022 ; Jian et al, 2022 ; Ulset and von Soest, 2022 ; Zhen and Zhou, 2022 ), research on children is still lacking. Zhen and Zhou (2022) found three heterogeneous patterns characterised by struggle (48.9%), distress (14.8%), and growth (36.3%) in 683 Chinese adolescents (15–18 years old).…”

The Experience and Influence of Youth in China in Coping with Stressful Life Events during the Post–COVID-19 Pandemic Era: A Qualitative Study

“…Interestingly, despite the heightened incidence of negative mental health outcomes during the pandemic, some individuals have displayed signs of PTG. The phenomenon of PTG among youths during COVID-19 suggests that with proper support and guidance, young people can adapt to the challenges they faced during the pandemic and even experience positive personal growth [33].…”

Post-Traumatic Growth: A Paradigm for Psychological Change

“…Since losing a parent, especially unexpectedly, can be one of the most life-altering events for a child or adolescent, these numbers are quite significant (Gray et al, 2022). PTG was found in 39.79% of children in one study examining the exhibition of both post-traumatic stress and PTG in children in the aftermath of Covid-19 (Bhushan et al, 2022).…”