Perceived stigma and post-traumatic growth among potentially COVID-19-infected individuals inside and outside Wuhan: The mediating role of identity

Drawing upon the social identity approach, the present study explored the interrelationships among perceived stigma (both group-based and personal), post-traumatic growth (PTG), and their underlying mechanisms. Cross-sectional data were collected from 3100 residents (female: n = 1667, 53.77%; male: n = 1433, 46.23%) of Hubei Province, China, aged between 12 and 65 years. The PROCESS macro (Model 7) in SPSS was employed to examine the moderated mediation effect of Inside/Outside Wuhan status on perceived identity and its associations with perceived stigma and PTG. The measurements included a brief scale assessing COVID-19-related stigma, the Multigroup Measure of Ethnic Identity, and the short form of the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory. Results showed that perceived stigma was positively associated with PTG, which was mediated by perceived identity. The moderation analysis suggested that the mediating effect of perceived identity on the courtesy stigma–PTG linkage was more pronounced in the Outside Wuhan group compared to the Inside Wuhan group. However, such an effect was not observed when personal affiliate stigma was the antecedent. In conclusion, this study suggests that positive contact and interaction can help reduce discrimination and stigma. Enhancing the perceived identity of stigmatized individuals can ultimately contribute to the achievement of PTG.