Covid-19 Peritraumatic Distress In Russian Sample: Suffering Vs personality Growth

Abstract

Research in the field of psychological health during the Covid-19 pandemic plays an important role in determining the general stress level and identifying the need for psychological helping. The numerous data all over the world claim that people need for support during the ongoing crisis. Therefore, there is an increasing need for rapid identification of individuals suffering psychologically for more effective and purposeful interventions and systematic assistance to the patients without psychiatric disorders. A similar tool for identifying and monitoring the assessment of the level of distress specific to Covid-19 is the Covid-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI) developed by researchers at the Shanghai Mental Health Center (Qiu et al, 2020), It was also tested in Iran, Italy, India, Germany, Spain. The Covid-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index was adapted in Russia in 2020 by the Department of Psychological Helping and Resocialization of the PsychologyFaculty atLomonosov Moscow State University (under the supervision of prof. M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov). Subjects: 463 people, including 66 patients of medical institutions repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19. Results. The Russian-language version of the questionnaire presented in the article has high reliability-consistency (Cronbach's α -0.87). The factor structure includes five factors. The convergent validity of the technique shown by its connection with the severity of traumatic tendencies of avoidance and invasion (according to the diagnostic criteria of post-traumatic stress disorder). CPDI is supposed to be effective brief instrument for diagnosing and modelling the strategies of helping and psychological support for various population groups involved in continuing pandemic crisis.Authors propose cultural-activity and meaning approach to personality work with his\her own traumatic experience to resist distress, but also showcourage, resilience, personality growth.