The purpose of this study was to explore several personal and work-related variables associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) levels in professional firefighters employed in a large fire district in south Florida. First, the researcher identified common factors in professional firefighting research that were associated with PTG in firefighters (independent variables: perceived supervisor support, occupational stress, coping style, and sense of belongingness). Second, the researcher determined if there was a significant relationship between these independent variables and the dependent variable (PTG). Then the researcher examined whether demographic variables identified from the literature moderated PTG in professional firefighters, such as: number of years of service, trauma history, and military history prior to joining the fire service. The sample consisted of 63 firefighters in a large Fire District in south Florida. The sample size was small and underpowered, and the response rate was low due to the concurrent eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic during the data collection period. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, internal consistency, range, and bivariate correlations) and multiple regression with hierarchical entry were used to test the six proposed hypotheses. The results indicated that perceived supervisor support had a statistically significant relationship with PTG levels in the sample (p = .027). Two of the controlling variables, prior trauma and military history, showed contradictory effects than was indicated in prior research. The present study’s sample reported lower incidences of prior trauma and military history prior to joining the fire service. Clinical implications, ideas for future research, practice, and policy were discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

More than a decade of research has indicated that individuals who have experienced traumatic events may report positive psychological changes as a result of their struggle to cope with the impact of the event. This cluster of changes has been labelled posttraumatic growth (PTG). Several measurement instruments have been developed to quantify such growth, one of the most widely used being the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996). The objective of the present study was to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the PTGI on data yielded by a South African sample, to determine if the hypothesised factor structure showed appropriate fit in this context. Analyses were performed with three hypothesised models: the five factor model, the three factor model and the model of posttraumatic growth as a unitary factor. Whilst the results of the CFA did not provide overt support for the adequate fit of the models tested, it did yield a profile of PTG in the South African sample that is similar to that of samples from other countries of origin. The findings implied that the factorial validity of the PTGI is unclear and the inventory may require modification for use in the South African context. This highlighted the need for further investigation in order to provide a comprehensive exploration of the PTGI and its applicability in this context. This is in line with the current focus on the socio-cultural and contextual elements that may influence the perception of PTG.

While the validity of posttraumatic growth has been repeatedly questioned, the prevalence of growth after exposure to trauma is widely established. Perceptions of posttraumatic growth were examined in a sample of South African adults (N = 135). Participants completed a selfadministered battery of questionnaires via an online trauma survey or in paper format. Data specific to the nature of the traumatic event, particularly the type of trauma, time since the traumatic event, the impact of the event and perceived threat of the event, were collected along with posttraumatic growth (PTG) scores. Age, gender and perceived social support were also assessed as variables. Results of the multivariate analyses indicated that PTG differed significantly as a function of the type of traumatic event. PTG also differed according to the time since the traumatic event, although the relationship was complex and subject to the additional moderating factors of depression, anxiety and stress. Examination of the growth factors further revealed a differential pattern of PTG according to event type, and a variable pattern of relationship to social support, perceived threat and impact of the trauma. The findings supported the view of PTG as a complex, highly subjective perception of growth that may involve many levels and aspects of change. The nature of PTG is important in the context of South Africa, for the individuals, and their families, who have been exposed to high levels of crime, violence, chronic illness and road accidents, and for a nation in the process of rebuilding itself.

Although the experience of trauma is associated with a great deal of psychological distress, it may also lead to meaningful positive change, known as posttraumatic growth (PTG), evidenced as progression in areas of life appreciation, intimacy in relationships, sense of personal strength, new possibilities, and spiritual development. Utilizing an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) perspective, the current study explored whether self-compassion helped to explain the willingness to approach and make sense of a trauma, leading to growth. A sample of 758 undergraduate students completed online self-report questionnaires, and results suggested that self-compassion does partially predict PTG and support for how self-compassion may be understood in relation to PTG is provided. Implications of the current study's findings, as well as suggestions for future research related to trauma within a college population, are discussed.

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Thesis advisor: Margaret Lombe / Over the past several decades trauma research has expanded to recognize the heterogeneity in post-exposure reactions. Posttraumatic stress disorder, the most commonly researched mental health outcome associated with trauma, does not develop in all trauma survivors. Rather, more common trajectories of adaptation following a trauma include normative health adaptation, resilience, and posttraumatic growth. The aims of the current study were to: (1) describe and characterize post-combat adaptation profiles in a sample of Israeli male military veterans (N = 448) based on the combination of posttraumatic distress symptoms, types of coping strategies, and level of posttraumatic growth; (2) test the utility of latent class membership on predicting the quality of posttraumatic growth (i.e. constructive growth); and (3) explore the protective factors (i.e. social support and adaptive coping) that promote constructive posttraumatic growth for each profile of post-combat adaptation. The current study used latent profile mixture modeling to identify profiles of post-combat adaptation, Heckman-probit regression models, and logistic regression analysis. Demographic controls, combat related variables, type of coping strategies utilized, and baseline reports of social support were not significant predictors of constructive growth in either the resilient or struggling latent classes. However, for those in the struggling subset of the sample, reported improvement in perceived social support during the intervention increased the odds of reaching constructive growth. This relationship did not hold for the resilient subset of the sample. The study extends existing literature and theory by proposing a more complex and nuanced examination of posttrauma adaption, and specifies conditions under which protective factors may influence positive adaptation outcomes such as constructive growth. These findings highlight the importance of tailored clinical interventions that account for more complex profiles of post-combat adaptation and provide additional support for the unique effects of group intervention modalities. Further, these findings provide evidence that adaptation takes place over time and as such services should continue to be available for veterans long after combat exposure. Finally, these findings call for future research to build on existing longitudinal investigation by examining the complex temporal components of adaptation in trauma survivors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social Work.

Stakeholders in college student mental health have called for a shift in focus from disease to wellness. In response, researchers have increasingly explored factors that foster and maintain mental health among this population (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009). One such germane factor is posttraumatic growth (PTG). Researchers in this domain posit that individuals can endure a subjectively traumatic experience, cope successfully with the effects of that trauma, and thereby function better than before the trauma. Researchers have acknowledged the sociocultural relativism of existing measures of PTG, suggesting differential growth potential among diverse populations and unidentified domains may exist. While a burgeoning area of research, existing knowledge of PTG indicates that college life may be characterized by optimized potential for growth (Meyerson, Grant, Carter, & Kilmer, 2011). Moreover, researchers have suggested PTG may relate positively to outcomes including perceived comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness of life; accessing social support and helpers; and appreciation for life (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1995). Suicidality (i.e., morbid rumination, active suicidal thoughts, suicidal plans, and behaviors) at varying levels of severity may impact growth potential among the college student population. Suicide is considered the third leading cause of death among individuals 24 years and younger, and it is the second leading cause of death among college students (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009; Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 2004). Further, Drum, Brownson, Burton Denmark, and Smith (2009) asserted a greater prevalence of suicidal ideation among college students than once believed. Data suggest that over half of students experience some level of suicidal ideation in their lifetime. The proposed study aims to address persistent gaps in the literature through qualitative and quantitative analysis of cross-sectional data collected in 2011 by the National Research Consortium of Counseling Centers in Higher Education. Data were collected from college students across 74 national institutions. The prevalence of perceived PTG will be determined, and domains of PTG will be identified. The relationship among demographic variables, suicidality, and PTG will be tested to ascertain each independent variable’s effect on the likelihood of endorsing overall PTG as well as PTG in each domain. / text

Despite the negative psychological, emotional, relational, and physiological impact of traumatic events that often persist into adulthood (Breslau, Davis, Andreski, Peterson, 1991; Briere, 2004), some individuals may also experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) as they struggle to resolve their traumatic experiences. PTG is a process that originates from a cognitive response to cope with traumatic events, and an outcome that yields positive personal changes (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1998). Several factors are linked to the increased likelihood of PTG such as symptom severity, coping resources, and personality characteristics (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). This study examined the contributory roles of life-style themes, coping resources, trauma symptoms, and their interaction on different forms of PTG in a sample of college graduate and undergraduates. Wanting Recognition, Tension Control, Social Support, and trauma symptoms were significantly related to PTG. Significant interaction effects were revealed between Wanting Recognition, Social Support and trauma symptoms. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

More than 1.6 million US military personnel have deployed during the past 10 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, also known as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), respectively. As a result of the protracted combat operations in two fronts, many military personnel have suffered traumatic experiences from seeing people die, coming close to death, or having killed people. Even for those who have not encountered direct combat, long deployments (commonly 12 months, but some experienced 15 months) and multiple deployments (often more than two), have caused many to suffer from combat stress. Hence, American military has focused much effort and spent lots of money on addressing the result of combat stress induced psychological injury known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, and the treatment thereof. However, research shows that only about 20% of combat veterans suffer from actual PTSD. In fact, most combat veterans probably suffer more from stressors of being in a combat deployment, with what is being referred to as 'combat stress injury', 'moral injury', or 'soul injury'. Furthermore, other research shows that growth (in various aspects of one's life) is possible; a greater percentage of people with various traumatic experiences report this potential to grow as a result of the traumata. Research shows that spirituality/religious faith helps people grow from traumatic experiences, and can lead to what is referred as Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). The central theological question of the thesis is: What is it about religious faith that helps people to eventually grow from trauma? The qualitative research conducted for this thesis indicates that the key element to PTG is actually community, more specifically, the community of faith, more than the individual's faith. The essential theological inquiry is how ecclesiology is embodied in the military chaplaincy context.

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000), the purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of global/dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation orientations in facilitating posttraumatic growth (PTG; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996, 2004) following the experience of various significant negative life events (Manuscript 1), relationship dissolution (Manuscript 2), and bereavement (Manuscript 3) in two university student samples. The objectives were to investigate the contribution of dispositional autonomous and controlled motivation in statistically predicting PTG above and beyond previously researched correlates; and explore the mediating role of cognitive appraisals and coping strategies in explaining the relationship between dispositional motivation orientations and PTG. Consistent with the overall hypotheses of the thesis, dispositional autonomous motivation was positively associated with PTG across all three manuscripts. Across all three manuscripts, we found that dispositional autonomous motivation explained a unique portion of the variance in explaining PTG, above and beyond previously researched correlates of PTG and dispositional controlled motivation. Mediation results indicated an indirect effect of dispositional autonomous motivation on PTG through primary cognitive appraisal (Manuscript 1). Dispositional autonomous motivation was positively associated with task-oriented coping strategies across all three manuscripts. Moreover, task-oriented coping strategies were the strongest indirect effect in Manuscript 1, and the only significant indirect effect in Manuscript 2 and Manuscript 3 between dispositional autonomous motivation and PTG. Dispositional controlled motivation was positively related to disengagement-oriented coping strategies in Manuscript 1 and 2, but unrelated in Manuscript 3. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of incorporating motivation orientations into theoretical models of PTG and aiding practitioners in better recognizing the significance of motivational factors in facilitating posttraumatic growth.