Posttraumatic Growth: Action and Reaction (original) (raw)
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Posttraumatic Growth and Disability: On Happiness, Positivity, and Meaning
2013
The field of psychology has traditionally focused on the deleterious effects of adversity to the exclusion of positive effects. However, a literature on positive sequelae of traumatic events has burgeoned over the past decade. The issue of whether individual's reports of positive changes are merely illusory self-enhancing biases or are reflective of objective, quantifiable change is perhaps the most contentious in the posttraumatic growth research at this time. This Posttraumatic Growth Assessment Researchers have explored the phenomenon of posttraumatic growth by using both qualitative and quantitative measures. Both types of measures have strong face validity, are easy to administer, and are readily accepted by research participants (Tennen & Affleck, 2009). However, measures of PTG are not without their flaws, and like all scales that rely on self-report, are subject to bias. Qualitative Methods Early studies of growth typically used an interview format with open-ended questions that asked people how their lives had changed in response to a traumatic event (Park & Helgeson, 2006). Interviews often specifically targeted positive life changes resulting from the event (Davis et al., 1998). For example, in an early study of perceived benefits following heart attack, participants were asked "As difficult as it's been, have there been any benefits or gains that wouldn't have occurred if you hadn't experienced the heart attack?" (Affleck, Tennen, Croog, & Levine, 1987). Responses to interview questions were usually categorized into domains of PTG by post hoc statistical analyses. In the analyses, authors determined whether or not there had been any benefit and, in separate analyses, rated the number of reported benefits (Zoellner & Maercker, 2006). Quantitative Methods The number of instruments that have been published as quantitative measures of PTG is steadily growing, with at least 14 in use at the time of this writing. Among these, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) and the Stress-Related Growth Scale (SRGS; Park et al., 1996) have undergone the most psychometric development (Zoellner & Maercker, 2006). The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory is a 21-item self-report
Traumatic experiences and adversities are inseparable from human life. Contemporary approach extends the range of events of traumatic nature. Apart from situations such as natural disasters, or an unexpected assault, were also included a sudden death of someone close, being a witness of a murder or threatened death, and obtaining information about life-threatening illness. At the same time, they emphasize the importance of an individual's response to the stressor. Adverse life events often lead to profound changes in one's perception of the self, relationship with others, and the world. These changes are known as posttraumatic growth. R. Tedeschi and L. Calhoun (1996) emphasize that positive changes comprising posttraumatic growth include changes in interpersonal relations, self-perception, and philosophy of life. Coming into contact with suffering people and observing them raise questions about motivation for adopting an active, often heroic, posture towards their misery despite lack of rational grounds for it. What gives a person strength to cope with adversity, pain, and suffering? The concept of mobilization of man resources for health, outlined below, is an attempt at explaining such behaviours. Highly distressful events evolving gradually over time may result in traumatic reactions. Under such circumstances we have time to prepare for the negative outcomes, in contrast to traumatic events, which are characterized by abruptness and lack of preparation. We have little direct control over most of sudden and unexpected life events, whether these involve major illness, military combat, 1 Z. Juczyński, prof. psychologist,
The Need To Prepare For Post Traumatic Growth
Individuals who are exposed to traumatic experiences in life will have varying responses. Some will bounce back immediately with seemingly no ill effects. Others will have activation of symptoms of distress manifesting them physically, emotionally or psychologically that may hang around for a while, dissipate and then find themselves returning to their normal homeostatic state. Still others will feel the grip of that trauma grab a hold of their lives and grant residence to their whole being and continuing to affect their lives long after the traumatic event has passed. This can at times overwhelm them to the point the trauma has now assumed mastery of their lives and generally find themselves being diagnosed with P.T.S.D.-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The medical and mental health community has been relatively unsuccessful in its attempts to cure this issue that plagues so many individuals which can be relentlessly aggressive towards those who serve in the military and in the first responder world. The prescription of anti-depressants combined with Evidence Based Cognitive Therapy in attempts to lessen the intensity of symptoms as well as reframe and address the traumatic experience, at best provides for individuals who were previously paralyzed by the trauma to be able to walk metaphorically with a walker, crutches, a cane or in some cases just a very distinct limp. Improvement has been made to allow the individual to function in their personal and professional life but they are still aware of their less than optimal performance in life which has been altered by their exposure to the trauma event or events.
Post-Traumatic Growth: A Positive Angle to Psychological Trauma
International Journal of Science and Research, 2020
Majority of the earlier clinicians and researchers focused their work with trauma survivors on negative psychological outcomes such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTDS). However, following the emergence of positive psychology, and Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) construct over the last two decades, there has been a paradigm shift in the field of trauma research. More attention is now being focused on positive personal changes or transformations (ie. post-traumatic growth), instead of negative consequences (eg. post-traumatic stress Disorder) experienced by victims of trauma as a result of exposure to traumatic events. Despite the important implications of this new perspective for research and clinical interventions, it seems relatively unknown in Nigeria. This paper, therefore, explores the construct of post-traumatic growth with a view to providing an impetus for systematic research, and understanding of the phenomenon in the Nigerian context.
Positive Psychological Change (PPC) following trauma is a developing field for which there is no standard terminology. The plethora of labels, of which Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) is probably the most common descriptor, arguably masks a significant gap in clinical and theoretical understanding of the phenomenon. One specific gap addressed by this study is PPC following psychological trauma stemming from a Road Traffic Accident (RTA) in which the person involved has subsequently received Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR). To investigate this gap in knowledge, an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach was used and twelve participants recruited via a snowball sampling method. The participants were then interviewed using a Semi-structured Interview Questionnaire (SSIQ) and the interviews were then transcribed for IPA analysis. Key themes that emerged included Navigational Struggle (NS) to describe Negative Psychological Change (NPC), and Network Growth (NG), to describe PPC. At any one post-RTA/EMDR point there was a preponderance of one over the other, however, NS and NG were inseparable and found to co-exist along an NS-NG continuum. In addition, Figurative Language Use (FLU) had a significant role in both NS and NG yet was independent of both and apparently driving change towards the development of NG. Whilst NS and NG were both post-trauma phenomena, FLU seemed to hallmark expansion of memory networks as part of a general maturation process post-RTA. Furthermore, there was evidence that participants were incorporating their traumatic experiences via FLU into the rebuilding of their assumptive worlds.
Frontiers in Psychology
Objectives: Post-traumatic growth (PTG) and post-traumatic depreciation (PTD) can be defined, respectively, as positive and negative changes in the aftermath of trauma. These changes can be assigned to the following domains: personal strength, relating to others, new possibilities, appreciation of life, spiritual and existential change. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that positive and negative effects of trauma can coexist and explore the categories of effect. Methods: 72 participants were asked to recount their experience of trauma and answer questions about how it had affected their thinking about themselves and the world. Participants' narratives were analyzed by competent judges and using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count. Results: The domains in which positive changes were most frequently observed were Personal Strength (26.09%), Relating to Others (24.22%), and Appreciation of Life (21.12%). Negative changes mainly affected Relating to Others (33.33%) and Personal Strength (23.33%). The results were confirmed by quantitative analysis of narratives: participants' narratives of trauma and its consequences contained more words which expressing positive emotions (1.67%) than negative emotions (0.90%), paired-sample t(60) = 9.70, p < 0.001. There were correlations between the frequency of words referring to positive emotions and PTG, r(62) = 0.39, p < 0.01, and between the frequency of words referring to negative emotions and PTG, r(62) = 0.23, p < 0.05. Conclusion: PTG and PTD can coexist and they can be regarded as outcomes of two separate processes. The study results also suggest that although PTG and PTD can coexist, they may be considered different domains of psychological functioning.
Posttraumatic growth and shattered world assumptions among ex-POWs
2017
The controversy regarding the nature of posttraumatic growth (PTG) includes two main competing claims: one which argues that PTG reflects authentic positive changes and the other which argues that PTG reflects illusionary defenses. The former also suggests that PTG evolves from shattered world assumptions (WAs) and that the co-occurrence of high PTG and negative WAs among trauma survivors reflects reconstruction of an integrative belief system. The present study aimed to test these claims by investigating, for the first time, the mediating role of dissociation in the relation between PTG and WAs. Method: Former prisoners of war (ex-POWs; n = 158) and comparable controls (n = 106) were assessed 38 years after the Yom Kippur War. Results: Ex-POWs endorsed more negative WAs and higher PTG and dissociation compared to controls. Ex-POWs with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) endorsed negative WAs and a higher magnitude of PTG and dissociation, compared to both ex-POWs without PTSD and controls. WAs were negatively correlated with dissociation and positively correlated with PTG. PTG was positively correlated with dissociation. Moreover, dissociation fully mediated the association between WAs and PTG. Conclusion: These findings imply that PTG might reflect illusory defenses and raise questions regarding the integration between the co-occurrence of high PTG and negative WAs among trauma survivors. Trauma literature includes two main competing claims regarding the nature of posttraumatic growth (PTG): one argues that PTG reflects authentic positive transformation (e.g., Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006) and the other argues that PTG reflects an illusory or self-deceptive coping mechanism (e.g., Hobfoll et al., 2007; Maercker & Zoellner, 2004). The former also suggests that PTG evolves from shattered world assumptions (WAs) and that the co-occurrence of high PTG and negative WA among trauma survivors reflects a reconstruction of an integrative belief system. With the aim to test these claims, the present study investigates the effects of war captivity on WAs
Behavioural changes add validity to the construct of posttraumatic growth
Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2012
The research aimed to identify positive behavioural changes that people may make as a result of negotiating the aftermath of a traumatic experience, thereby extending the current cognitive model of posttraumatic growth (PTG). It was hypothesised that significant others would corroborate survivor's cognitive and behavioural reports of PTG. The sample comprised 176 participants; 88 trauma survivors and 88 significant others. University students accounted for 64% of the sample and 36% were from the broader community. Approximately one third were male. All participants completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory [PTGI] and open ended questions regarding behavioural changes. PTGI scores in the survivor sample were corroborated by the significant others with only the Appreciation of Life factor of the PTGI differing between the two groups (e.g., total PTGI scores between groups explained 33.64% of variance). Nearly all of the survivors also reported positive changes in their behaviour and these changes were also corroborated by the significant others. Results provide validation of the posttraumatic growth construct and the PTGI as an instrument of measurement. Findings may also influence therapeutic practice for example, the potential usefulness of corroborating others.
Growth Following Adversity: Positive Psychological Perspectives on Posttraumatic Stress
Psihologijske Teme
The impact of traumatic events is well documented within the clinical psychology literature where it is recognized that people who experience traumatic events may go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At first glance one might ask what the relevance of positive psychology is to the study of trauma. But a number of literatures and philosophies throughout human history have conveyed the idea that there is personal gain to be found in suffering. The observation that stressful and traumatic events can provoke positive psychological changes is also contained in the major religions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Within existential philosophy and humanistic psychology it has also been recognized that positive changes can come about as a result of suffering. But it is only within the last decade that the topic of growth following adversity has become a focus for empirical work. In this paper I will provide an overview of the subject and the research we have conducted at the Centre for Trauma, Resilience, and Growth (CTRG).