Hope and post-stress growth during COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of perceived stress and the moderating role of empathy

The current study examined the effect of hope on post-stress growth (PSG), how perceived stress may mediate this effect, and lastly how empathy may moderate the various indirect and direct pathways during COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the current study using a large sample of Chinese college students (N = 1666) showed that hope was positively associated with PSG while negatively associated with perceived stress, which in turn, was negatively associated with PSG. Empathy magnified the effects of hope on perceived stress and PSG while buffering the effect of perceived stress on PSG. These results suggest that empathy may play a crucial role in increasing desired outcomes and mitigating undesired outcomes.