Did we learn something positive out of the COVID-19 pandemic? Post-traumatic growth and mental health in the general population

When facing a traumatic event, some people may experience positive changes, defined as posttraumatic growth (PTG). A collective experience of trauma can help people reflecting on their traumatic experiences, as it would be the case for the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the possible positive consequences of the pandemic on the individual level is crucial for the development of preventive and supportive psychosocial interventions for the general population. The present paper aims to: 1) evaluate the levels of PTG in a sample of the general population; 2) to identify predictors of each dimension of post-traumatic growth. The majority of the sample (67%, N=13,889) did not report any significant improvement in any domain of PTG. Participants reported the highest levels of growth in the dimension of "appreciation of life" (2.3±1.4), while the lowest level was found in the "spiritual change" (1.2±1.2). Female participants reported a slightly higher level of PTG in the dimensions of personal strength (p<.002) and appreciation for life (p<.007) compared to male participants, while no significant association was found with age. At the multivariate regression models, weighted for the propensity score, only the initial week of lockdown (between April 9 - April 15) had a negative impact on the dimension of "relating to others" of the PTG (B= -.107, 95% CI= -.181 to -.032, p<.005), while over time no other effects were found. However, the duration of exposure to lockdown measures did not influence the other dimensions of PTG. The assessment of the levels of PTG in the general population during the initial phase of the national health emergency is of great importance for the development of ad hoc supportive and preventive psychosocial interventions. From a public health perspective, the identification of protective factors is crucial for developing ad-hoc tailored interventions and for preventing the development of full-blown mental disorders in large scale.