Publication
The COVID-19 outbreak centrality and trauma symptoms in nurses: The mediating role of psychological inflexibility
| Summary: | Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with negative psychological consequences, particularly amongst frontline workers, such as nurses; however, little is known about modifiable mechanisms underlying the development of such outcomes. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of psychological inflexibility in the relationship between the centrality of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-traumatic stress symptoms in nurses. Methods: The sample consisted of 672 Portuguese nurses, whose data was collected online, through self-report questionnaires. Correlation analyses were conducted to explore associations between variables, and the PROCESS macro was used to perform regression-based mediation analyses. Results: The observed results confirmed psychological inflexibility as a putative mediator between the centrality of the COVID-19 outbreak and trauma symptoms in nurses. Implications: These findings suggest that interventions directed at reducing psychological inflexibility are likely to attenuate the deleterious effects of the centrality of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses’ post-traumatic distress. |
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| Main Authors: | Barreira,Joana |
| Other Authors: | Vitorino,Catarina; Canavarro,Maria Cristina; Carona,Carlos |
| Subject: | COVID-19 pandemic Event centrality Trauma symptoms Psychological inflexibility |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | article |
| Access type: | open access |
| Associated institution: | Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia |
| Language: | English |
| Origin: | SciELO Portugal |
| Summary: | Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with negative psychological consequences, particularly amongst frontline workers, such as nurses; however, little is known about modifiable mechanisms underlying the development of such outcomes. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of psychological inflexibility in the relationship between the centrality of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-traumatic stress symptoms in nurses. Methods: The sample consisted of 672 Portuguese nurses, whose data was collected online, through self-report questionnaires. Correlation analyses were conducted to explore associations between variables, and the PROCESS macro was used to perform regression-based mediation analyses. Results: The observed results confirmed psychological inflexibility as a putative mediator between the centrality of the COVID-19 outbreak and trauma symptoms in nurses. Implications: These findings suggest that interventions directed at reducing psychological inflexibility are likely to attenuate the deleterious effects of the centrality of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses’ post-traumatic distress. |
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