Personality Traits, Childhood Trauma, and Alexithymia role in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Growth Symptoms Following COVID-19

This study aimed to assess the role of personality traits, childhood trauma, and alexithymia in of PTSD and PTG symptoms in patients with COVID-19. Data for 156 persons (including 131 females and 25 males) who recovered from COVID-19 were collected using NEO inventories, the childhood trauma questionnaire, the Toronto alexithymia scale, the Mississippi Scale for PTSD, and the PTG inventory. PTG symptoms were significantly and positively associated with personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness). The PTSD symptoms were positively correlated with neuroticism and negatively associated with agreeableness and conscientiousness. Moreover, a negative correlation was observed between emotional neglect and PTG symptoms. PTSD symptoms were seen to be positively and significantly correlated to the four dimensions of childhood trauma (p < 0.001). Finally, the most significant predictors of PTSD were symptoms including alexithymia (β = 0.38) and the physical abuse trait of childhood trauma (β = 0.259). PTG symptoms could be best predicted by conscientiousness (β = 0.2) and extraversion traits (β = 0.196). The variables including alexithymia, personality traits, and childhood trauma can be used to decrease the adverse effects of trauma and increase positive psychological symptoms in our patients.