Abstract

The study aimed to examine the effects of COVID-19 stress on psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms), and whether optimism and gratitude disposition have a moderating effect on these relationships. Online self-report questionnaires that consisted of the scales for COVID stress, optimism (LOT-R), gratitude disposition, depression (K-CESD-R), anxiety (STAI-Y), and PTSD symptoms (IES-R-K) were completed, and data of 411 participants (180 males and 231 females) were analysed by SPSS 23.0 and PROCESS macro for SPSS 3.3. Results of this study were as follows: First, COVID-19 stress was positively associated with psychological distress. Second, the moderating effect of optimism was partially significant in the relationship between COVID-19 stress and psychological distress. Third, the moderating effect on gratitude disposition was partially significant in the relationship between COVID-19 stress and psychological distress. Fourth, the moderating effect of optimism and gratitude disposition on anxiety was not significant. This study was conducted approximately one year after the COVID-19 outbreak, and these findings provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of an effective intervention program for the general population that suffered from COVID-19 by verifying the moderating effect of optimism and gratitude disposition on the relationship between COVID-19 stress and psychological distress.