The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth during the COVID-19 pandemic: A...

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) can co-occur in individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the nature of their relationship remains inconclusive. The present study aimed to explore the PTSD-PTG relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic and possible moderators between them with meta-analysis approach.

A systematic search of six databases-Web of Science, CNKI, PubMed, APA PsycInfo, ProQuest, and Wanfang-was conducted for studies published between December 2019 (the first time COVID-19 was confirmed) and March 2023, and 27 studies were available (19,998 participants). A random-effects model, subgroup test, and metaregression analysis in Comprehensive Meta-analysis 3.0 were used to test the relationship among study variables.

The result shows that PTSD is positively correlated with PTG during the COVID-19, that is, higher levels of PTSD are associated with higher levels of PTG. Furthermore, this relationship may be moderated by group types and PTSD measurement instruments, while gender, time since onset of the pandemic, and levels of PTSD and PTG measurement instruments have no influence.

The positive association between PTSD and PTG during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be influenced by group types and PTSD measurement instruments. These findings further enrich the understanding of the relationship between PTSD and PTG and have some implications for promoting individual mental health during the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).