This study evaluated a revised version of the Stress-Related Growth Scale (SRGS-R). The SRGS-R has two major differences from the Stress-Related Growth Scale (SRGS). It uses neutral wording of items instead of the original positively worded items, and it uses positive and negative scaling choices. This study included participants (N = 764) recruited through Amazon MTurk. There were three versions of the SRGS-R tested - the SRGS with neutral wording of items only (SRGS-R-N), the SRGS with positive and negative scaling only (SRGS-R-S), and the SRGS-R, with both changes. We randomly assigned participants to complete one of four PTG measures - the SRGS-R-N, SRGS-R-S, SRGS-R, or the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). The PTGI elicited the largest levels of reported PTG, while the SRGS-R elicited the smallest levels. The two modified versions displayed scores between the SRGS-R and the PTGI in the small and moderate growth groups. In the current study the SRGS-R was negatively related to PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety (negative, but not statistically significant), global distress (negative, but not statistically significant), and avoidance-focused coping (negative, but not statistically significant), and positively related to positive well-being, quality of life, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping. In comparison, the PTGI was unrelated to depression, anxiety, and global distress, and positively related to PTSD symptoms, positive well-being, quality of life, and all three coping styles. These findings provide further evidence that the SRGS-R is an improvement over the PTGI in measuring actual growth, while limiting illusory growth. We found the combination of these changes yields the greatest improvements in measurement. By improving the measurement of PTG, we can reduce the variation in reported PTG following traumatic events found throughout the literature. This will allow researchers and clinicians to better identify which factors contribute to growth following traumatic events, and aid them in designing treatments to encourage actual growth following traumas.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1157646 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Bedford, Lee |
| Contributors | Boals, Adriel, 1973-, Murrell, Amy, Ryals, Anthony |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | iv, 34 pages, Text |
| Rights | Public, Bedford, Lee, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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