Psychological effects of trauma negative and positive coping, resilience, and psychological distress among Chinese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background

Limited data are available on risk (psychological effects of trauma, negative coping) and protective (resilience, positive coping) factors for psychological distress among Chinese healthcare workers (HCWs) during the pandemic. Thus, this study investigated the: (1) association between both the psychological effects of trauma and negative coping and psychological distress; and (2) moderating effects of resilience and positive coping on these associations.

Methods

Participants (n = 196; M_age = 32.8; SD _age = 7.5; 77% female) from two hospitals in China completed self-report measures of the psychological effects of trauma (Impact of Event Scale-Revised), negative and positive coping (Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire), resilience (Connor Davidson Resilience Scale) and distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; Patient Health Questionnaire-9) in March 2022.

Results

Results from this cross-sectional study revealed that HCWs who endorsed greater psychological effects of trauma had more psychological distress when they had lower levels of positive coping ((DASS-21 (b = −0.03, SE = 0.01, p = .007); PHQ-9 (b = −0.005, SE = 0.002, p = .015)). HCWs who endorsed more negative coping had more psychological distress when they were less resilient ((DASS-21 (b = −0.02, SE = 0.01, p = .035); PHQ-9 ((b = −0.01, SE = 0.002, p = .031)) and used less positive coping ((DASS-21 (b = −0.13, SE = 0.03, p < .001); PHQ-9 (b = −0.02, SE = 0.006, p < .001)).

Conclusions

Psychological distress level was higher among HCWs who experienced more trauma or used negative coping strategies. They also had lower resilience and relied less on positive coping strategies. To help HCWs in China during public health crises, interventions must bolster their resilience and positive coping skills.