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COVID-19 Pandemic as a Traumatic Event and Its Associations with Fear and Mental Health: A Cognitive-Activation Approach

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  • Martin Sanchez-Gomez

    (Department of Evolutionary, Educational, Social Psychology and Methodology, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain)

  • Gabriele Giorgi

    (Department of Human Science, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy)

  • Georgia Libera Finstad

    (Business@Health Laboratory, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy)

  • Flavio Urbini

    (Department of Human Science, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy)

  • Giulia Foti

    (Business@Health Laboratory, European University of Rome, 00163 Rome, Italy)

  • Nicola Mucci

    (Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Piero Palagi 1, 50139 Florence, Italy)

  • Salvatore Zaffina

    (Occupational Health Unit, Medical Direction, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy)

  • José M. León-Perez

    (Department of Social Psychology, Universidad de Sevilla, 41004 Sevilla, Spain)

Abstract

The COVID-19 global pandemic still represents a major threat with detrimental health consequences. Analyzing the psychological outcomes, COVID-19 could be interpreted as a collective traumatic event that can generate symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Considering this, the purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to investigate the relationship between intrusive thoughts and fear related to the COVID-19 pandemic and between intrusive thoughts and mental health; second, to test the mediating role of hyperarousal and avoidance in these two relationships. In order to reach these aims, the present study investigated these relationships and tested a mediation model in two cross-sectional studies in Italy. Altogether, 627 individuals and 495 workers completed an online survey for study 1 and study 2, respectively. Mediation analyses were performed via the SPSS macro PROCESS; the significance of total, direct, and indirect effect was tested via bootstrapping. The results showed that within the PTSD framework, hyperarousal compared with avoidance mediated the relationship between intrusion and the analyzed outcomes. In conclusion, the present study provided empirical evidence for the influence of hyperarousal on individual consequences such as fear of COVID-19 and mental health. Research, as well as theoretical and practical implications, are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Sanchez-Gomez & Gabriele Giorgi & Georgia Libera Finstad & Flavio Urbini & Giulia Foti & Nicola Mucci & Salvatore Zaffina & José M. León-Perez, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic as a Traumatic Event and Its Associations with Fear and Mental Health: A Cognitive-Activation Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:14:p:7422-:d:592512
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
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    4. Martin Sanchez-Gomez & Edgar Breso, 2020. "In Pursuit of Work Performance: Testing the Contribution of Emotional Intelligence and Burnout," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Kum Fai Yuen & Xueqin Wang & Fei Ma & Kevin X. Li, 2020. "The Psychological Causes of Panic Buying Following a Health Crisis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-14, May.
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    Cited by:

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    4. Jose M. León-Pérez & Mindy K. Shoss & Aristides I. Ferreira & Gabriele Giorgi, 2021. "Emerging Issues in Occupational Health Psychology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-4, November.
    5. Georgia Libera Finstad & Gabriele Giorgi & Lucrezia Ginevra Lulli & Caterina Pandolfi & Giulia Foti & José M. León-Perez & Francisco J. Cantero-Sánchez & Nicola Mucci, 2021. "Resilience, Coping Strategies and Posttraumatic Growth in the Workplace Following COVID-19: A Narrative Review on the Positive Aspects of Trauma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-25, September.
    6. María Molina-Oliva & Rafael Martín-Sánchez & Elena Pastor-Benito & Raúl Soto-Cámara & Rosa M. Cárdaba-García & Israel John Thuissard & Juan José Fernández-Domínguez & María Paz Matellán-Hernández & Su, 2023. "Influence of Previous Mental State on Psychological Outcomes of Spanish Out-of-Hospital Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    7. Tiziana Di Palma & Luca Fusco & Luigia Simona Sica & Laura Aleni Sestito, 2022. "Experiencing the COVID-19 Emergency: Age-Related Disequilibrating Event for Identity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-9, November.
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    9. Ming-Zhu Yuan & Hsiang-Fei Chen & Cheng-Chia Yang & Tong-Hsien Chow & Chin-Hsien Hsu, 2022. "The Relationship between Medical Staff’s Emotional Labor, Leisure Coping Strategies, Workplace Spirituality, and Organizational Commitment during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-17, May.
    10. Vincenza Capone & Roberta Borrelli & Leda Marino & Giovanni Schettino, 2022. "Mental Well-Being and Job Satisfaction of Hospital Physicians during COVID-19: Relationships with Efficacy Beliefs, Organizational Support, and Organizational Non-Technical Skills," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-18, March.
    11. Maria Karanikola & Meropi Mpouzika & Elizabeth Papathanassoglou & Katerina Kaikoushi & Anna Hatzioannou & Ioannis Leontiou & Chris Livadiotis & Nicos Christophorou & Andreas Chatzittofis, 2022. "Work-Related Traumatic Stress Response in Nurses Employed in COVID-19 Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, September.
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