Children’s Posttraumatic Growth in the Aftermath of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Austria: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract There is a paucity of research exploring the potential positive changes in the aftermath of a crisis from the perspective of children. The present study sought to address this gap by examining posttraumatic growth (PTG) among North Tyrolean (Austria) and South Tyrolean (Northern Italy) children aged 8–12 at the final phase of the Covid COVID-19 crisis utilising a convergent parallel mixed methods design. In total, 101 children (50.5% girls) participated in an online study exploring the factor structure of the German Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for Children and the relationship between posttraumatic growth and distress (as measured by the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen). Twenty of these children participated in an interview and answered questions about in which ways they are, feel or think differently since the crisis. The results of the principal component analysis indicated a three-factor structure: interpersonal, person-centred, and spiritual change dimension of growth. The total scores of the German PTGI-C-R were positively associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms. The qualitative findings revealed four PTG dimensions that corresponded to the original growth dimensions. The children did not mention spiritual change, however, a new growth dimension emerged “adjustment to new circumstances”. The themes “relationships” and “adjustment to new circumstances” were found to be positive and negative in nature, and were assigned to PTG and PTD, respectively. In conclusion, the results support Tedeschi and Calhoun’s growth model. The children exhibited a holistic perspective of the crisis encompassing both negative and possible positive aspects. The interconnectedness of resilience and the cornerstones of positive psychology underscore the imperative for the promotion of both in non-crisis contexts, thereby enhancing the likelihood of children deriving positive outcomes from such periods.