The objective of this study is to undertake research regarding Posttraumatic Growth and its relationship with Sense of Coherence, within the South African context. In addition, the associations between the three domains of SOC, in particular Meaningfulness, and the five domains of PTG, will be investigated. A further aim of this study is to explore whether the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth is moderated by Meaningfulness. Sample: The sample consisted of tertiary education students, 18 years and older, and who have experienced a traumatic event as defined by the Traumatic Stress Schedule (N=79). Measures: In addition to a demographic questionnaire, the following measures were administered: the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R), and the Traumatic Stress Schedule (TSS). Results: Participants reported moderate scores on overall PTG with lower SOC scores relative to similar samples in the literature. Age was found to be associated with PTG, and PTG was associated with subjective distress as measured by the IES-R. In addition, those reporting PTG, particularly in the areas of Relating to Others, New Possibilities and Appreciation of Life, evidenced lower levels of Comprehensibility, and those low on Comprehensibility tended to report higher levels of subjective distress. High levels of subjective distress also appeared to be associated with lower levels of Manageability. Findings further suggested that participants who had been exposed to multiple traumas, as well as those who reported higher subjective distress, generally evidenced lower SOC. Multiple trauma exposures were strongly associated with increased subjective distress. Implications of the findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

<p>Sammanfattning:</p><p>Denna studie syftar till att fånga upplevelser av hur livet kan förändras i positiv riktning efter bearbetandet av en nära anhörigs suicid, med fokus på posttraumatic growth och positiva förändringar. Studien utgör ett bidrag till forskningsområdet där trauma ses som en möjlig grogrund för gynnsam utveckling hos den drabbade individen. Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med sex personer som alla mist en nära anhörig i suicid. Deltagarna uttryckte PTG inom temana självperception, interpersonella relationer och livsfilosofi. Följande positiva förändringar framkom: förändringar i personligheten, ändrade prioriteringar, möten med människor på ett djupare plan, ny syn på döden, värdesätter tid med familjen mer, djupare glädje och tacksamhet, samt nya möjligheter. Resultatet tyder på att detta svåra trauma kan föra något gott med sig.</p> / <p>Abstract:</p><p>The purpose of this study is to capture experiencies of how life can change for the better after the struggle with the suicide of a close relative, focusing on posttraumatic growth and positive changes. The study contributes to the research area where trauma is considered a possible opportunity for growth within the traumatized individual. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six individuals all of whom have lost a close relative to suicide. The participants expressed PTG in the themes selfperception, interpersonal relationships, and philosophy of life. Positive changes that emerged were: changes in personality, changed priorities, the ability to interact with people on a deeper level, renewed perspectives on death, values time spent with family more, deeper sense of happiness and gratitude, and new possibilities. The result shows that something good can come out of a trauma as severe as this one.</p>

Sammanfattning: Denna studie syftar till att fånga upplevelser av hur livet kan förändras i positiv riktning efter bearbetandet av en nära anhörigs suicid, med fokus på posttraumatic growth och positiva förändringar. Studien utgör ett bidrag till forskningsområdet där trauma ses som en möjlig grogrund för gynnsam utveckling hos den drabbade individen. Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med sex personer som alla mist en nära anhörig i suicid. Deltagarna uttryckte PTG inom temana självperception, interpersonella relationer och livsfilosofi. Följande positiva förändringar framkom: förändringar i personligheten, ändrade prioriteringar, möten med människor på ett djupare plan, ny syn på döden, värdesätter tid med familjen mer, djupare glädje och tacksamhet, samt nya möjligheter. Resultatet tyder på att detta svåra trauma kan föra något gott med sig. / Abstract: The purpose of this study is to capture experiencies of how life can change for the better after the struggle with the suicide of a close relative, focusing on posttraumatic growth and positive changes. The study contributes to the research area where trauma is considered a possible opportunity for growth within the traumatized individual. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six individuals all of whom have lost a close relative to suicide. The participants expressed PTG in the themes selfperception, interpersonal relationships, and philosophy of life. Positive changes that emerged were: changes in personality, changed priorities, the ability to interact with people on a deeper level, renewed perspectives on death, values time spent with family more, deeper sense of happiness and gratitude, and new possibilities. The result shows that something good can come out of a trauma as severe as this one.

Trauma research has been predominantly focused on the study of the negative psychological sequelae of traumatic experience. Recently, however, increased empirical attention has been paid to the potential for positive changes, or posttraumatic growth, derived from survivors’ struggle with trauma. There is evidence accumulating in support of this phenomenon following various types of traumatic events. Using an online, cross-sectional design, the present study examined posttraumatic growth among 143 survivors of interpersonal violence. Furthermore, the relationship between posttraumatic growth and the severity of psychological distress symptoms, as well as between growth and hope was explored. Results indicated that the severity of depressive symptoms was negatively related to growth, while the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and hope were found to positively predict growth. Associations between posttraumatic growth and demographic and interpersonal violence characteristics did not emerge. The potential implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Trauma research has been predominantly focused on the study of the negative psychological sequelae of traumatic experience. Recently, however, increased empirical attention has been paid to the potential for positive changes, or posttraumatic growth, derived from survivors’ struggle with trauma. There is evidence accumulating in support of this phenomenon following various types of traumatic events. Using an online, cross-sectional design, the present study examined posttraumatic growth among 143 survivors of interpersonal violence. Furthermore, the relationship between posttraumatic growth and the severity of psychological distress symptoms, as well as between growth and hope was explored. Results indicated that the severity of depressive symptoms was negatively related to growth, while the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and hope were found to positively predict growth. Associations between posttraumatic growth and demographic and interpersonal violence characteristics did not emerge. The potential implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Understandings of the longer-term experiences of recovery from road trauma are limited. Many studies to date have examined the psychological and psychiatric consequences of road accidents in the short term, but few have moved to a focus on the psychosocial and subjective aspects of recovery, and the longer-term challenges of this process. (For complete abstract open document)

Posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth in members of fire rescue service (Abstract) Firefighters often work under circumstances that endanger their lives or physical integrity and witness traumatic experiences of other people while managing effects of devastating emergency situations. As a result of this exposure they can suffer from trauma and stress related disorders. However, traumatic experiences may also offer potential for growth. This thesis is aimed at posttraumatic stress - symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth in members of fire rescue service. The main objective is widening of existing posttraumatic research in professional rescuers with findings from multinational sample of firefighters. Sample consisted of firefighters from Czech Republic (N=302) and six other European countries (N=2241). Study was carried out through questionnaire-based data gathering. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress were assessed via self-rating measure Impact of event scale - revised, posttraumatic growth via Posttraumatic growth inventory - short form. Comparison of Czech and European firefighters was made with the premise that among members of this professional group there would be found no differences. Subtle dissimilarities were, however, observed in several measured...

PTSD is a mental health condition that affects many people over the course of their life (National Comorbidity Survey, 2005), including veterans (Litz & Schlenger, 2009). However, many do not experience clinical levels of distress and some experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) resulting from such an event (Tedeschi, Park, & Calhoun, 1998). The Psychological Flexibility Model, of which Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999) is based, may help explain these phenomena. The purpose of this study was to examine these relationships utilizing a measure simultaneously assessing psychological flexibility and inflexibility. It was hypothesized that psychologically inflexible behaviors would predict PTSD symptom severity, while flexible behaviors would predict PTG. Furthermore, each of psychological inflexibility and flexibility would account for unique variance in PTSD symptom severity and PTG, respectively. Finally, the domains of ACT were examined to assess the strength each component has in the maintenance of these experiences. Results indicated that both psychological inflexibility and flexibility predicted PTSD symptoms and PTG, respectively, and each predicted unique variance in these experiences. Of the individual components, cognitive fusion, experiential avoidance, inaction, and lack of contact with the present moment all contributed to PTSD symptom severity, while values clarity, lack of contact with the present moment, and present moment awareness contributed to PTG. These results suggest the psychological flexibility model overall is consistent with the experience of PTSD symptoms and the posttraumatic growth. Though further experimental methods are needed, the application of psychological flexibility through ACT could enhance PTSD treatments.

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Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) posits that survivors of a traumatic event have the ability to influence their own outcomes and do so most aptly when they perceive they can exert control over their outcomes. Posttraumatic growth outcomes are associated with a greater perception of controllability, while posttraumatic stress outcomes can be related to the lack of perceived control. In the context of the Virginia Tech shootings, several social factors were examined three months after the trauma (T1) and one year later (T2) to further explore the dynamic interplay between these factors and psychological outcomes. Social support seeking was conceptualized as both a coping strategy (situational) and as a coping style (dispositional) and was hypothesized to predict greater growth outcomes, while social constraints were hypothesized to predict higher levels of posttraumatic stress outcomes. These variables were also examined as moderators of the relationship between perceived threat and psychological outcomes at both time points. As expected, dispositional social support seeking was negatively related to posttraumatic stress at T1, and positively related to posttraumatic growth at T1 and T2. Social constraints were positively related to posttraumatic stress at T1 and negatively related to posttraumatic growth at T1 and T2. Situational social support seeking served as a moderator for the relationship between perceived threat and posttraumatic stress at T1. Lower levels of situational social support seeking lessened the relationship between perceived threat and posttraumatic stress, while high levels of situational social support seeking exacerbated this relationship. / Master of Science