Posttraumatic Growth in the Wake of COVID-19 Among Jewish and Arab Pregnant Women in Israel

Objective: On the assumption that coping with a crisis from a position of vulnerability may elicit not only negative but also positive outcomes, this study examined posttraumatic growth (PTG) among Jewish and Arab pregnant women 6–7 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring the contribution of ethnicity, personal resources (intolerance of uncertainty, optimism, and self-compassion), and COVID-19-related anxieties. In addition, the moderating roles of ethnicity, optimism, and self-compassion were examined. Method: A convenience sample of 916 Israeli women (517 Jewish, 399 Arab) was recruited from July 5 to October 7, 2020. through women's forums on social media. The participants completed an electronic questionnaire through Qualtrics software. Results: Arab women reported significantly higher PTG, COVID-19-related anxieties, optimism, and self-compassion than Jewish women. A 6-step hierarchical regression that was performed to determine the contribution of the independent variables to PTG revealed that younger age, being primiparous, being an Arab, optimism, self-compassion, and COVID-19-related anxieties were associated with greater PTG. Furthermore, a positive association between intolerance of uncertainty and PTG was found among Jewish, but not Arab women. Finally, the positive association between intolerance of uncertainty and PTG was stronger among women reporting higher self-compassion. Conclusions: The study sheds light on the potential for the positive outcome of PTG in the wake of the prolonged COVID-19 crisis and highlights the contribution of vulnerability and personal resources.