The impact of core belief disruption on posttraumatic growth and PTSD in healthcare workers: examining the mediating effect of rumination

Healthcare workers are often exposed to traumatic events and as a result, they may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses. The prevalence of these issues is high among healthcare professionals. Positive transformation (i.e., PTG) can emerge after struggles related to a stressful life event. In this cross-sectional study utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), a sample of Iranian healthcare workers (nurses and pre-hospital emergency personnel from Ardabil) completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. These measures included a demographic information form, the Life Events Checklist (LEC-5), the Core Beliefs Inventory (CBI), the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), scales assessing intrusive and deliberate rumination, and a social support questionnaire. In examining the direct coefficient paths, all paths were statistically significant with the exception of the path of core belief disruption to deliberate rumination, social support to intrusive rumination, and PTSD to PTG. Similarly, in the examination of the coefficient of indirect paths, all paths were not statistically significant except for the paths of intrusive rumination to PTG through deliberate rumination and social support to PTG through deliberate rumination. The study’s findings suggest that disruptions in core beliefs can result in both post-traumatic growth (PTG) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that social support plays a crucial role in promoting PTG. Clinical interventions that address disruptions in core beliefs and promote social support, such as mindfulness practices and purposeful thinking, may be effective in promoting mental health and well-being among healthcare professionals. Based on the results of the study, clinical interventions that address disruptions in core beliefs and promote social support may be effective in promoting mental health and well-being among healthcare professionals who have experienced traumatic events. As such, these findings can inform the development of evidence-based clinical interventions that can improve the mental health outcomes of healthcare professionals and, ultimately, enhance patient care.