Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to develop a structural framework that explains the process of psychological adaptation and sequential changes being perceived by Korean people under the COVID-19 Pandemic past year. Setting a tentative analysis frame induced from antecedent literatures about psychological phenomena during the COVID-19 pandemic, the qualitative data were collected from 6 Korean adults by semi structured individual interviews. For the data, content analysis applied from the grounded theory were performed. As a result, the initial framework was extended and revised to describe the psychological phenomena under the pandemic. This paradigm structure includes the process of ‘causal factors ⇒ psychological main phenomena ⇒ sequential results’ being intervened by personal contextual situations and psychological characteristics, as moderators. The category of causal factors were the COVID-19 pandemic, relevant critical incidents, and social distancing policy. The main phenomena reflected either positive, negative, or complicated experiences. The sequential psychological results included transformation of cognitive system or behavior patterns. Various variables such as psychological sense of community and social responsibility, psychological capability for leisure, and positive psychological capital were found out as moderating factors. In discussion and conclusion, theoretical/practical implications of the results and direction to study in the future were suggested.