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A concurrent examination of protective factors associated with resilience and posttraumatic growth following childhood victimization
Abstract
The present study concurrently examined protective factors associated with the adaptive outcomes of resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG; defined as positive psychological change resulting from a life crisis or trauma), after accounting for relevant demographic factors and the impact of circumstances surrounding childhood victimization (i.e., age of first trauma, frequency of victimization, and perception of trauma severity). The protective factors examined in the present study included social support from friends and family, optimism, positive religious coping (i.e., looking to God for support and guidance; forgiveness), and negative religious coping (i.e., feeling abandoned by God; anger towards God). Participants included 161 college students from the US MidSouth, aged 18-24 (Mage = 19.97, SD = 1.86). All participants reported experiencing physical violence and/or sexual abuse during their childhood. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that after accounting for demographics and circumstances surrounding the childhood victimization, higher resilience was associated with greater family support, optimism, and positive religious coping, while higher posttraumatic growth was associated with greater optimism and positive religious coping. These findings underscore the protective role of optimism with respect to both resilience and posttraumatic growth. Additionally, results highlight the importance of examining cognitions related to religious coping rather than simply assessing broadband religiosity, as only positive religious coping was associated with adaptive outcomes. Findings suggest the importance of early intervention to bolster protective factors (i.e., family support, positive thinking, gratitude, and positive religious coping skills) among youth exposed to childhood physical and sexual victimization.
... This process is called posttraumatic growth (PTG), positive psychological changes that are achieved as a result of individuals' efforts and struggles against the traumatic event that befell them (Tedeschi et al., 2018). Experiencing post-traumatic growth is one of the protective factors for emerging adults with a history of ACEs toward possible negative impacts (Schaefer et al., 2018). ACEs change a person's perspective on the world which is shown through schemas of unpredictability. ...
... A person with a history of ACEs tends to see the world as a chaotic and unstable place (Ross & Hill, in Babad et al., 2022), as a result of what he experienced, felt, and witnessed as a child. Therefore, it is important to help individuals rebuild their assumptive world, which will help relieve pain and stress and improve adaptive outcomes (Schaefer et al., 2018). ...
... Strategies to rebuild shattered assumptive world after a traumatic event are supported with managing and coping with emotional distress, which can be done through forgiveness (Schaefer et al., 2018) because forgiveness involves the process of reconstructing perceptions and meanings of events that involve transgression, which is also in line with pathways leading to post-traumatic growth. As a traumatic experience that results in stunted physical and psychological development, ACEs is a transgression of children's basic rights which makes forgiveness necessary to enable individuals to grow from their traumatic experience. ...
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with various negative impacts on the mental health of emerging adults. Previous studies have shown that post-traumatic personal growth after a particularly challenging event can be facilitated by the adoption of emotional coping strategies, such as forgiveness. This study examines the relationship between forgiveness and post-traumatic growth among emerging adults with ACEs in Indonesia. The sample consisted of 152 emerging adults,aged 18-25 years (M = 21.53; SD = 1.919), mostly female (92.1%), and reported at least one ACEs during their childhood. The instruments in this study were the WHO ACE-International Questionnaire, Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (21 items, α= 0.922) and the Forgiveness Scale (34 items, α= 0.935). Analysis was performed using Spearman's rho. The results of the study revealed that forgiveness was positively and significantly correlated with post-traumatic growth (rxy.471, p= .000). The originality of this study revealed that the three dimensions of forgiveness are strongly related to post-traumatic personal growth in ACEs survivors. This article expands the discussion on the inconsistency of the role of the forgiveness dimension towards others. Based on these results, the development of a forgiveness-based intervention to enhance post-traumatic personal growth for ACE survivors is proposed
... PTG has been extensively explored among adult survivors of childhood maltreatment, with reference to both the previously recognized domains (personal strength, relating to others, appreciation of life, openness to new possibilities, and spiritual change) as well as abuse-specific domains of growth, such as an increased ability to protect themselves from abuse (McMillen et al., 1995;Kaye-Tzadok et al., 2016;Schaefer et al., 2018;Lahav et al., 2020;Tranter et al., 2021). However, little attention has been given to work-related aspects of PTG among survivors, despite the central role of work and its importance in adulthood. ...
... Notwithstanding the potentially devastating outcomes of CM, over 25 years of research has documented the possibility of positive changes that can occur following such events, commonly referred to as post-traumatic growth (e.g., Schaefer et al., 2018). ...
... Indeed, positive changes have been reported by women who were sexually abused as children (McMillen et al., 1995;Lev-Wiesel et al., 2004;Hartley et al., 2016;Lahav et al., 2020), survivors of various types of CM (Hall et al., 2009), and adult survivors of institutional childhood abuse (Sheridan and Carr, 2020). Studies also show that PTG may take place throughout different developmental stages in the lives of survivors, such as in adolescence (e.g., Glad et al., 2013) or during young adulthood (Schaefer et al., 2018;Jankovic et al., 2022). ...
Introduction
Childhood maltreatment is a highly prevalent traumatic experience, and its adverse psychological and behavioral consequences are well-documented. Notwithstanding these adverse outcomes, many individuals who suffered from traumatic experiences report post-traumatic growth, i.e., transformative positive changes resulting from their struggle to cope. Post-traumatic growth has been extensively explored among adult survivors of childhood maltreatment, with findings indicating both the previously recognized domains (personal strength, relating to others, appreciation of life, openness to new possibilities, and spiritual change) as well as abuse-specific domains of growth (e.g., increased ability to protect themselves from abuse). However, little attention has been given to vocational aspects of post-traumatic growth among survivors, despite the central role and importance of work in adulthood. Exploration of post-traumatic growth at work has focused on certain vocational traumatic experiences, such as those which occur in the military, or through secondary trauma. This exploratory qualitative study focuses on the question: What is the lived experience of work-related post-traumatic growth among high-functioning adult survivors of CM?
Method
Twenty in-depth interviews were held with high-functioning working adults who were maltreated as children. Phenomenological analysis was applied to the retrospective data reported in these interviews.
Result
Rich descriptions of work-related positive psychological changes were provided by all participants. Analysis revealed that survivors’ post-traumatic growth corresponded with all five previously recognized domains of growth: changes in self, relating to others, openness to new possibilities, finding meaning to the abuse, and appreciation of life. It also revealed that work is perceived as a form of resistance (a subtheme of changes in self), and that finding meaning entails three emerging subthemes: being a survivor and a role model, giving others what was needed and never received, and making a better world.
Discussion
While the vocational lives of survivors of childhood maltreatment have rarely been examined through the lens of post-traumatic growth, our results show this lens to be highly valuable. Work-related post-traumatic growth has relevance not only regarding vocational traumas occurring in adulthood as has been previously studied, but also in the context of childhood traumas. Moreover, our research broadens the understanding of the possible domains of work-related growth.
... One of the developmental tasks of the emerging adult is, therefore, that of 'becoming a subject' through (not always linear) exploration and fluctuations (Lilliengren & Werbart, 2010;O'Malley, 2018), a complex process which, as Lilliengren and Werbart (2010, p. 582) stress, involves 'the development of a more positive self-image, increased self-acceptance, and a capacity for self-care as well as a sense of personal agency and responsibility'. In this framework the decision-making processes which the emerging adult is called upon to activate in the face of important life choices are central (Miller, 2017;Schaefer et al., 2018). These will lie at the basis of his/her autonomy and feeling of self-agency. ...
... Many studies have also shown that in this phase low socio-economic level, little social support from adults and a childhood history of adverse experiences exacerbate mental disorders (Burt & Paysnick, 2012;Schilling et al., 2007). The possibility of benefiting from adequate family support is, however, an important protective factor with respect to the emergence of psychopathological distress, assuring emerging adults a good level of self-esteem and psychological wellbeing (Schaefer et al., 2018;Shulman, 2017). Secure attachment styles and a good capacity for mentalization also foster adequate psychological wellbeing in emerging adults (Borelli et al., 2019), while insecure attachment styles are a relevant risk factor for the emergence of psychopathological problems (Riva Crugnola et al., 2021). ...
... In other cases, it is more important to help young adults to 'free' projects and representations of self colonized by unresolved introjections and unprocessed conflicts. In both cases, what is of particular importance is the attention paid by the therapist to the definition of the decisions and life choices of the young adults about the present and their capacity to design their future (Lilliengren & Werbart, 2010;Miller, 2017;Schaefer et al., 2018). If the therapist does not pay sufficient attention to the life choices the young adult is facing in the present the possible ensuing mismatch can be a cause of therapy failure, as highlighted by a few studies (Lilliengren & Werbart, 2010;Von Below, 2020). ...
Recent years have seen a growing interest in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy regarding clinical work with young adults. What has been particularly useful in defining the specific nature of clinical work with young adults is the construct of emerging adulthood. This work puts forward a psychoanalytic psychotherapeutic approach aimed at emerging adults, illustrating it through clinical cases. The objective of this approach is to help young adults acquire greater awareness of their resources, inclinations, and relational models, promoting consolidation of the process of subjectification. Therefore, therapy intends to foster the capacity of the patient to process the feelings of instability and indecision typical of emerging adulthood, serving as a secure basis for the exploration and mentalization of identity aspects which are in the shadows or have been colonized by alienating parental introjections. From the perspective of developmental psychoanalysis, the therapist performs an action aimed to promote interrupted or suspended developmental processes in young adults. This action pays attention to the definition of their life choices relating to the present and the capacity to design their future, creating a safe space suitable for fostering the emergence of the potential of the Self and the consequent process of becoming a subject.
... As important as social relationships are for behavioral health across the human lifespan (e.g., Afifi & MacMillan 2011;Averdijk et al., 2014;Feldman et al., 2004;Miller-Graff et al., 2017), only a handful of studies simultaneously examined how multiple social relationship types (e.g., parental and peer relationships) predict adolescent behavioral problems (e.g., Howard Sharp et al., 2017;Schaefer et al., 2018). In general, higher quality of relationship with parents is associated with better adolescent adjustment (e.g., Criss et al., 2021;Formoso et al., 2000;Rosnati & Connie M. Tang connie.tang@stockton.edu ...
... Whereas maternal, paternal, and peer relationships are important predictors of adolescent behavioral health, these social relationship types may be more or less important depending on the stage of adolescent development. According to Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory (e.g., Berk 2013; Erikson, 1989;Santrock, 2018), adolescents must resolve the identity versus identity confusion conflict before they can progress successfully into the next psychosocial stage. To do so, adolescents need to establish a sense of self by experimenting with different roles. ...
... Second, good peer relationship will forecast lower levels of adolescent behavioral problems, in line with most previous research on the topic (e.g., Formoso et al., 2000;Lee & Park, 2017;Moses & Villodas, 2017;Wilkinson, 2010;Yoon, Yoon et al., 2018). Finally, following Erikson's psychosocial theory (e.g., Berk 2013; Erikson, 1989;Santrock, 2018) and past research (e.g., Hay & Ashman 2003;Lee & Park, 2017;Wilkinson, 2010), we hypothesize that parental relationships will still be a stronger predictor of adolescent behavioral problems than peer relationship in mid-adolescence in the U.S. but the vast majority came from impoverished backgrounds. The five sites differed in how they recruited at risk and control children. ...
The current study investigated how maternal, paternal, and peer social relationships predict adolescent behavioral problems using secondary data analyses of the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). We aimed to examine differences between maternal and paternal relationships in predicting adolescent behavioral problems, and we hypothesized that parental relationships would more strongly predict adolescent behavioral problems than peer relationship in mid-adolescence. Participants were 929 adolescents at their 14-year-old visit. Hierarchical multiple regressions and multiple regression models revealed the following: Maternal relationship quality predicted fewer adolescent externalizing and total behavioral problems; paternal relationship quality predicted fewer internalizing problems; and peer popularity predicted fewer externalizing and total behavioral problems. In conclusion, mother-adolescent relationship may be more important for externalizing behavioral problems and father-adolescent relationship may be more important for internalizing behavioral problems. In middle adolescence, parental relationships are still more important than peer relationship in predicting adolescent behavioral problems. Study limitations and implications for research, policy, and practice were discussed.
... Having a positive selfconcept and gratitude also buffers against toxic stress. Positive religious coping such as practicing forgiveness and looking to God for guidance, having realistic perceptions of purpose and control over the adverse situation, and having a healthy diet and exercise also contribute to resilience (McEwen, 1998;Schaefer et al., 2018). ...
... Maladaptive coping strategies such as the use of alcohol and tobacco in response to adversity, exposure to poor social support, and negative religious coping (e.g., feeling abandoned by God and anger toward God) make individuals more vulnerable to the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress (Franke, 2014;McEwen, 1998;Schaefer et al., 2018). Patients with these vulnerabilities may benefit from counsel to replace maladaptive coping strategies with adaptive ones. ...
Purpose
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and related conditions, such as discrimination, are social determinants of health (SDOHs). Critical race theory (CRT) is a lens through which to understand SDOHs in a way that may impact our clinical care. When prolonged or chronic, SDOHs might cause toxic stress and trauma, which, in turn, adversely affect health and are shown to be relevant for some voice disorders. The goals of this tutorial are to (a) review the literature on SDOHs that potentially contribute to disparities; (b) discuss explanatory models and theories that describe how psychosocial factors influence health; (c) relate the foregoing information to voice disorders, highlighting functional voice disorders (FVDs) as a particular case in point; and (d) describe how trauma-informed care can improve patient outcomes and advance health equity for vulnerable populations.
Conclusions
This tutorial concludes with a call for heightened awareness of the role that SDOHs such as structural and individual discrimination may play in voice disorders, and a call for research into SDOHs, traumatic stress, and health disparities in this patient population. A call is also made for more universal practice of trauma-informed care in the clinical voice domain.
... The strong effect of resilience on PTG in the 20s is consistent with an earlier study by Schaefer et al that showed that resilience influenced PTG promotion variables in college students in their 20s. 21 This agreement in conclusions suggests that people who experience traumatic events at this relatively young age can positively cope with them. 22 The likelihood of recovering to the pre-trauma adaptation level increases with an increase in resilience, and the experience of traumatic events can be a positive factor in adapting and overcoming difficulties in life. ...
... 24 These results are consistent with the previous study the relationship between pain perception and PTG in college students in their 20s. 21 The experience of pain perception helps to maintain and promote PTG. The experience of suffering in the 20s is a continual review of the meaning of the event and may yield an attempt to overcome the negative emotions more positively, rather than developing the perception of pain as post-traumatic stress. ...
Introduction: Police officers are exposed to a variety of traumatic events, which can be physical or psychological. This study aimed to identify factors that influence Post-traumatic growth (PTG) in South Korean police officers, according to age group.
Methods: Raw data were collected from September 26 to October 9, 2017, for 269 police officers who are employed at 10 police offices in Seoul. PTG was affected significantly by age, marital status, monthly income, and police rank in pain perception and social support variables among general characteristics.
Results: Factors that affected PTG in the ‘20~29’ age group were resilience and pain perception, but in the ‘30~39’ age group, only Pain perception was significant, and in the ‘over 50’ age group, social support and pain perception were significant.
Conclusions: The development of mental health programs for police should consider the age group of the patients. Mental health care should also be continuous.
... Hay tres tipos de variables que están implicadas en el desarrollo de la resiliencia en los menores: los factores de personalidad positivos (autoestima, optimismo, empatía, regulación emocional positiva y habilidades para la vida diaria), el entorno familiar estable (cohesión y buena relación familiar, estabilidad en el cuidado y apoyo de las figuras parentales) y las relaciones de apoyo con los iguales, la escuela, los miembros de la familia extensa y el apoyo del entorno comunitario (Afifi y MacMillan, 2011;Cicchetti, 2013;Schaefer et al., 2018;Zolkoski y Bullock, 2012). También puede tener para algunos menores un papel protector tanto para la resiliencia como para el crecimiento postraumático el afrontamiento religioso positivo, reflejado, por ejemplo, en la capacidad de perdón y en la confianza en la voluntad divina (Schaefer et al., 2018). ...
... Hay tres tipos de variables que están implicadas en el desarrollo de la resiliencia en los menores: los factores de personalidad positivos (autoestima, optimismo, empatía, regulación emocional positiva y habilidades para la vida diaria), el entorno familiar estable (cohesión y buena relación familiar, estabilidad en el cuidado y apoyo de las figuras parentales) y las relaciones de apoyo con los iguales, la escuela, los miembros de la familia extensa y el apoyo del entorno comunitario (Afifi y MacMillan, 2011;Cicchetti, 2013;Schaefer et al., 2018;Zolkoski y Bullock, 2012). También puede tener para algunos menores un papel protector tanto para la resiliencia como para el crecimiento postraumático el afrontamiento religioso positivo, reflejado, por ejemplo, en la capacidad de perdón y en la confianza en la voluntad divina (Schaefer et al., 2018). ...
... While the concepts of resilience and PTG similarly reflect positive psychologic responses following traumatic events, they are viewed as distinct constructs in the research literature (Schaefer et al., 2018). This distinction separates resilience as adaptive functioning back to baseline related to multiple socio-ecological factors while PTG has been defined on the contrary as a largely internal process by which further enhancement beyond baseline occurs after a period of distress and subsequent meaning-making (Schaefer et al., 2018). ...
... While the concepts of resilience and PTG similarly reflect positive psychologic responses following traumatic events, they are viewed as distinct constructs in the research literature (Schaefer et al., 2018). This distinction separates resilience as adaptive functioning back to baseline related to multiple socio-ecological factors while PTG has been defined on the contrary as a largely internal process by which further enhancement beyond baseline occurs after a period of distress and subsequent meaning-making (Schaefer et al., 2018). Because of this distinction, as well as the overlapping conceptual domains represented by PTG in both the previously mentioned qualitative meta-synthesis and a previous qualitative study of gender-based violence (i.e. ...
There is little data on what influences posttraumatic growth for women who experienced non-consensual sexual contact (NCSC) as an undergraduate college student. The purpose of this study is to garner a better understanding of posttraumatic growth among women-identifying survivors of undergraduate NCSC by addressing the following aims: 1) evaluate the mediating role of NCSC-related shame on the relationship between perceived peer rape myth acceptance and posttraumatic growth ( n = 174); and 2) evaluate the shared and independent variance contributions of mental health symptoms and trauma history clusters on posttraumatic growth ( n = 151).
NCSC-related shame did not mediate the relationship between perceived peer rape myth acceptance and posttraumatic growth. Mental health symptoms and trauma history significantly contributed to 35.27% of posttraumatic growth variance, with the trauma history cluster significantly influencing posttraumatic growth scores beyond mental health symptoms. Based on these findings, it is important that clinicians assess for a history of trauma and the impact of that trauma in addition to mental health symptoms when trying to understand posttraumatic growth after campus sexual violence.
... Psychological outcomes. We identified six studies that examined resilience factors associated with psychological outcomes including post-traumatic growth (positive psychological change as a result of a challenging experience) (PTG; Mohr & Rosén, 2017;Schaefer, Howell, Schwartz, Bottomley, & Crossnine, 2018), feelings of shame (Beduna & Perrone-McGovern, 2019), selfesteem , and positive and negative affect (Galea, Ciarrocchi, Piedmont, & Wicks, 2007). Studies were quantitative and employed cross-sectional designs in which participants retrospectively reported their childhood victimisation experiences. ...
... In two other studies of individuals who experienced childhood abuse and/or neglect, optimism, religious coping (e.g. religious forgiving and seeking spiritual support), positive reframing, acceptance and emotional support were found to be associated with higher levels of PTG at the transition to adulthood (Mohr & Rosen, 2017;Schaefer et al., 2018). Furthermore, the presence of a pro-social adult and having a higher number of social and emotional resources overall (e.g. ...
Exposure to childhood victimisation (i.e. abuse, neglect, domestic violence or bullying) can detrimentally impact later psychosocial adjustment. However, this is not the case for all victimised children; some do well despite their experiences and are considered to be resilient. Understanding the factors associated with such resilience is important to inform interventions to support better psychosocial outcomes among victimised children. This review provides an overview of the extant research examining resilience factors for psychosocial outcomes during the transition to adulthood following exposure to childhood victimisation. Studies were identified through a systematic literature search of Embase, PsychINFO and Ovid MEDLINE databases. The 26 included studies spanned a range of psychosocial outcomes between ages 18–25, including education and work, housing and independent living, criminal behaviour, victimisation, and social and psychological adjustment. For each outcome, a variety of putative resilience factors had been investigated including those related to the individual, their family and the wider community within which they lived. However, because few studies had comparable resilience factors and psychosocial outcomes, it is difficult to draw conclusions about which factors are consistently associated with resilience to a particular psychosocial outcome. Additionally, this review revealed that the included studies were of variable methodological quality – many were limited by cross-sectional designs with retrospective self-reports of childhood victimisation, and convenience or unrepresentative samples. In this review, we also highlight gaps in knowledge about the co-occurring impact of multiple resilience factors in combination and the need for studies conducted in non-Western and low- and middle-income countries.
... Indeed, the CSA literature is ambivalent regarding the social expectation of survivors' forgiveness of perpetrators (Tener & Eisikovits, 2017). Forgiveness has been found to empower survivors, and as a positive religious coping strategy, it has been associated with post-traumatic growth among survivors (Schaefer et al., 2018). Yet, this approach is not without risk (Death, 2013). ...
Teachers are at the frontlines of the fight to identify and cope with child sexual abuse (CSA) among their pupils. Their methods of coping with CSA cases, both personally and professionally, are strongly influenced by their socio-cultural contexts and religious beliefs. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the experiences of Christian Arab teachers in Israel coping with the CSA of their pupils. Twelve Christian Arab elementary school teachers in Israel were recruited for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and a qualitative thematic analysis was employed based on a descriptive phenomenological-psychological approach. Two key themes emerged from the analysis: (a) The teachers’ intense emotional reactions regarding the CSA of their students and the empowerment some found in handling such difficult situations, and (b) The teachers’ Christian beliefs and identity strongly affected their understanding of CSA and their approach to intervention. The findings indicated the dialectical position of the teachers’ religio-cultural context, particularly the duality of the Christian value of forgiveness, a powerful resource for their coping, yet with adverse implications for children’s vulnerability. This unique risk should inform training teachers regarding CSA matters. Teachers must also have systems that support them and allow them to reflectively examine their coping styles.
... At the community level, high social support and positive community environments have been found to change psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. While the wider literature suggests that RFs at the individual, family and community level are associated with a reduced likelihood of developing psychosocial problems (Crush et al., 2018;Fritz et al., 2018;Schaefer et al., 2018), no studies to date have examined how RFs predict latent subgroup membership of individuals who share mean levels of resilient functioning over time. By examining how RFs predict latent subgroup trajectories of resilient functioning over time, we can gain a better understanding of how relevant different RFs may be for different groups of people. ...
Resilience, the capacity to maintain or regain functionality in the face of adversity, is a dynamic process influenced by individual, familial, and community factors. Despite its variability, distinct resilience trajectories can be identified within populations, yet the predictors defining these distinct groups remains largely unclear. Here, using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ages 0-18), we quantify resilience as the remaining variance in psychosocial functioning after taking into account the exposure to adversity. Growth mixture modeling identified seven distinct resilience trajectories, with over half of the study population maintaining resilience throughout early life. Factors increasing the likelihood of resilient trajectory membership included a less emotional temperament, high cognitive abilities, high self-esteem, low levels of autistic social traits, strong sibling relationships, high maternal care, and positive school experiences. Among the socioeconomic factors considered, maternal education – a significant indicator of socioeconomic status – and birth-order were associated with resilient trajectories. Our findings underscore the importance of fostering cognitive abilities, self-esteem, social relationships, positive school experiences, and extracurricular engagement to bolster resilience in adversity-exposed individuals and communities. This research informs resilience-focused interventions in mental health, education, and social policy sectors, and prompts further exploration of socioeconomic influences on resilience trajectories.
... Through a systematic review, Mehta et al. found that resilience is a kind of post-traumatic response, in which low resilience was related to the expression patterns of immune and dopamine genes, while high resilience was associated with the weakening of inflammatory response [46]. Schaefer et al. investigated the resilience and PTG of 161 university students who suffered physical violence or sexual abuse in childhood, and the multiple regression analyses showed the protective effect of optimism on resilience and PTG [47]. Besides, the four keywords in Hotspot 3 located in Quadrant III indicated that this hotspot's research contents have not been paid enough attention to and need further exploration. ...
Objectives:
To analyze and summarize the research hotspots and advancement of post-traumatic growth (PTG) over the past 15 years based on co-word analysis of keywords, and provide references for PTG-related research and clinical intervention.
Methods:
All studies related to PTG were retrieved from PubMed and Web of Science (WOS) from January 2013 to July 2022. A total of 11 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keywords were used to identify qualified studies. Bibliographic Item Co-occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB; version 2.0) was used to conduct high-frequency keywords extraction and matrix setup, Graphical Clustering Toolkit (gCLUTO; version 1.0) was employed to perform clustering analysis, and SPSS (version 25.0) was used to carry out strategic diagram analysis.
Results:
A total of 2,370 publications were selected, from which 38 high-frequency keywords were extracted. The results revealed six research hotspots on PTG during the period from 2013 to 2022, including research on i) emotional reactions after negative life events, ii) PTG among cancer survivors, iii) rumination and resilience after trauma, iv) PTG among children and adolescents, v) role of social support and coping strategy in PTG, and vi) association between PTG and quality of life.
Conclusions:
This co-word analysis effectively reveals an overview of PTG over the past 15 years. The six research categories deduced from this study can reflect that the research content in the field of PTG is abundant, but some research topics have not yet been mature. The findings of this study are of great value to future investigations associated with PTG.
... Therefore, it cannot be excluded that victims of cyberaggression who did not acted also as cyberbullies were more likely to attribute to themselves a stable disposition to forgiveness. Finally, the mediating effect of dispositional forgiveness on the relationship between cybervictimisation and cyberbullying should account for the potential confounding effect of environmental and personality confounders, other than gender, including social exclusion and social support (Barcaccia et al. 2018;León-Moreno et al. 2019), personal and religious values Schaefer et al. 2018), and personality traits, such as self-esteem and optimism (Flanagan et al. 2012;Rey et al. 2020). ...
Accumulating literature suggests that the risk of perpetrating bullying is greater among those who have been bullied. The association between the transition from victim to bully and revenge aggression suggests the critical role of forgiveness. However, evidence on the mediating role of forgiveness on the victimisation–bullying association is still sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of person’s dispositional forgiveness (DF) on the relationship between cyber-victimisation (CV) and cyber-bullying (CB) and to explore the moderating effect of gender on this relationship. Four hundred eighty-one upper secondary students (n = 481, 47.8% females, mean age = 17.2, SD = 1.5) completed the Florence Cyber-Bullying – Cyber-Victimisation Scales and the Heartland Forgiveness Scale. Statistical analysis reveals significant direct and indirect effects between CV, DF, and CB latent variables. CV has a negative influence on DF and positive influence on CB behaviour. Furthermore, there was an indirect influence of CV on CB behaviour following the path through DF only in females. The results suggest that DF seems to decrease CB behaviours by buffering the adverse outcomes of being CV, particularly among female victims. The findings underline the relevance of forgiveness within preventative interventions against bullying and cyberbullying.
... Posttraumatic growth is defined as positive changes subsequent to trauma exposure which go beyond pre-trauma adjustment and which are displayed in an enhanced appreciation of life, changes in priorities, more meaningful relationships with others, a sense of increased personal strength, new possibilities for the future, and existential/spiritual thriving (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996;Tedeschi et al., 2018). Research has documented reports of PTG among survivors of various types of traumatic events (Brooks et al., 2020;Levi-Belz et al., 2020;Mark et al., 2018;Stein et al., 2020), among them childhood abuse (Easton et al., 2013;Kaye-Tzadok & Davidson-Arad, 2016;Lev-Wiesel et al., 2004;Mohr & Rosén, 2017;Schaefer et al., 2018;Shakespeare-Finch & De Dassel, 2009;Woodward & Joseph, 2003). ...
Childhood abuse puts individuals at risk for psychopathology and psychiatric symptoms such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety symptoms. At the same time, research has indicated that some survivors report positive transformations in the aftermath of their trauma, known as posttraumatic growth (PTG). Yet the essence of PTG reports is questionable, and some scholars claim that it may reflect maladaptive illusory qualities. Furthermore, according to a recent theoretical model, PTG might be dissociation-based and related to survivors' bonds with their perpetrators. This study aimed to explore these claims by assessing PTG, dissociation, and identification with the aggressor (IWA), as well as PTSD and anxiety symptoms. An online survey was conducted among 597 adult childhood abuse survivors. Study variables were assessed via self-report measures. Analyses indicated positive associations between PTG, dissociation, and IWA. Three distinct profiles were found, reflecting high, medium, and low scores on PTG, dissociation, and IWA. Profile type explained PTSD and anxiety symptoms above and beyond gender, age, and abuse severity. These findings suggest that whereas some childhood abuse survivors might experience a positive transformation subsequent to their trauma, others' PTG reports might reflect dissociative mechanisms and pathological attachments to their perpetrators , and thus might be maladaptive. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Stress process theory proposes that chronic or acute stress can diminish a person's resiliency, thus increasing that person's risk for subsequent outcomes such as depression or anxiety (Parks et al., 2012). In the context of sexual assault, resilience is a well-documented protective factor for later psychological well-being among those who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (Schaefer et al., 2018); however, resiliency factors have been minimally represented within frameworks of recovery among survivors of adult sexual assault. In one study, veterans with a history of adult sexual assault who endorsed higher levels of resilience were less likely to receive a provisional PTSD diagnosis (Wisco et al., 2014). ...
Understanding the mental health outcomes of sexual assault among college women is a public health priority. Although research has identified risk factors for the development of mental health problems following an assault, few studies have utilized a strengths-based approach to identify personal and social resources that may mediate the sexual assault-mental health link. Prior studies allude to the role of resilience and perceived campus belonging in explaining the relationship between sexual assault and mental health. This study represents the first application of the stress process model using a large sample of college women to examine (a) the association between sexual assault and mental health (i.e., psychological distress, suicidality, self-harm) and alcohol use problems and (b) the role of resilience and perceived campus belonging as partial mediators of these associations. Data were collected as part of the Spring 2021 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA; n = 31,328, Mean age = 20.26, SD = 1.64, 58.8% White), a cross-sectional, online survey that samples college students from 143 self-selected United States colleges. To test our primary hypothesis, a structural regression model was conducted, which included a latent sexual assault predictor, manifest resilience and campus belonging mediators, a latent mental health outcome, and a manifest alcohol use problems outcome. Mental health and alcohol use problems were positively associated with sexual assault and negatively associated with resilience and campus belonging. Resilience partially mediated the association between sexual assault and mental health. Campus belonging partially mediated the association between sexual assault, mental health, and alcohol use problems. This model explained 23.2% of the variance in mental health and 5.9% of the variance in alcohol use. Resilience and campus belonging may represent modifiable factors that can be targeted in trauma-focused interventions in efforts to improve victimized college women's mental health.
... Additionally, just under half of the survey participants regularly engage in meditation practices. Spiritual wellbeing has been linked to social support and resilience in young adults [27]. ...
Annually, nearly 20% of first-time, degree-seeking college students do not return after the first year. There are a variety of factors that impact a student’s ability to remain in college, including social and emotional factors, as well as institutional, structural and financial barriers. Due to the economic and employment advantage of a college degree, it is important to offer a variety of supports for students, in order to facilitate student persistence and college degree completion. This study examined the theoretical assumption that college student persistence and degree completion is influenced by individual wellness practices across a number of life domains: physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual. Undergraduate college students (n=266) completed an online survey in May, 2021 to examine the relationship between these five life domains and student persistence in college. Results indicate that four of the five life domains are predictive of student persistence in college. Spiritual wellness was not directly predictive of student persistence, but was significantly associated with social and academic factors that do influence student persistence. Recommendations for the higher education system are suggested for improvement of student persistence and degree completion.
... By reviewing previous studies on children's resilience, researchers have collated those individual factors, mainly including children's intelligence level, good temperamental level, high social skills, etc.; family factors, including harmonious parental relationship, good family economic status, and good parental qualities; and extra-familial factors, including a good social support system and successful school experiences [22]. Specifically, one study on posttraumatic growth found that higher resilience was associated with greater optimism and positive religious coping [23]. There are also studies on early childhood maltreatment that find participation in extracurricular activities, satisfaction with school and freedom from bullying, and good communication and social skills are important protective factors for resilience [24]. ...
(1) Background: Resilience research began in the child population as a validity scale to describe children’s psychological wellbeing and ability to cope with negative events, and to some extent, to predict recovery and adaptation when they experience adversity again. In view of the important developmental implications of resilience in young children and the lack of a Chinese children’s resilience scale, this study developed a resilience scale for young Chinese children based on a systematic review of existing international resilience scales and the characteristics of the Chinese cultural background. (2) Methods: The scale was developed by referring to existing scales, expert interviews, item collation and item finalization, developing original items, then deleting and determining items through item analysis, and finally, comparing with existing scales to obtain the internal and external validity of this scale. (3) Results: The results showed that the scale has good measurement properties, internal consistency reliability, and internal and external validity. (4) Conclusions: Through the development and validation of the Resilience Scale for young children in China, the scale can be used to measure the resilience of young children in China.
... There are three types of variables that are involved in the development of resistance in children (Table 1): positive personality factors (self-esteem, optimism, empathy, positive emotional regulation and daily living skills), stable family environment (cohesion and good family relationship, stable care by parental figures) and supportive relationships with peers, school, extended family members, and the community (Schaefer et al., 2018;Zolkoski & Bullock, 2012). ...
Ser víctima de un suceso violento en la infancia conlleva un mayor riesgo en el desarrollo de problemas
emocionales, de conducta y sociales. Sin embargo, no todos los menores muestran consecuencias negativas
graves. La mayor o menor resiliencia va a depender del equilibrio emocional previo, del grado de autoestima,
del estilo cognitivo y del tipo de experiencias habidas, así como de su capacidad de resolución de problemas.
Entre los factores de protección implicados en la resiliencia figuran el entorno familiar estable y las relaciones
de ayuda con los iguales y el apoyo del entorno comunitario. Hay ciertas estrategias de afrontamiento
adaptativas, como esforzarse por solucionar los problemas cotidianos de una manera realista y adaptarse a
la nueva realidad, olvidar de forma activa o perdonar lo ocurrido. El mayor o menor uso de determinadas
estrategias de regulación emocional cognitiva puede asimismo condicionar el proceso de recuperación o estar
vinculado a diferentes trayectorias de las víctimas ante sucesos potencialmente traumáticos. Un indicador
positivo del proceso de mejoría de la víctima es cuando se recupera la expresión verbal de los sentimientos y se
pone orden en el caos de las imágenes y recuerdos del suceso violento. Nuevas investigaciones son requeridas
en un futuro próximo, como la influencia de la edad y del sexo de los menores y el papel de las estrategias de
afrontamiento y de regulación emocional
... There are numerous variables that predict PTG. These include individual personality traits, such as optimism (Meyerson et al., 2011;Schaefer et al., 2018;Turner et al., 2018), individual level of comfort with emotional disclosure and individual coping style, emotion and problemfocused rumination (Kilmer et al., 2014;Meyerson et al., 2011;Ramos & Leal, 2013). Certain demographic factors also predict PTG, including the individual's age at the time of incident (Milam et al., 2004). ...
Gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) young people (YP) frequently spend their youth exploring and discovering their identities. At this time, they often begin to think about how and when to disclose their GSD identity to others in a variety of contexts; this dynamic and ongoing process can be termed visibility management (VM). At school, GSD YP actively test social reactions, interpret attitudes, and assess safety; ultimately, seeking to be an authentic self and to find acceptance and community. This systematic review explored findings from 16 qualitative studies capturing GSD YP’s experiences of managing visibility in schools internationally. Data was thematically synthesised and seven themes were constructed: We need to explore, discover and accept who we are before we can be our authentic selves, Visibility management is a constant negotiation and a fluid process, We are influenced and oppressed by norms; our visibility breaks norms and changes culture, We are acutely aware and often fearful of social reactions to the visibility of GSD people and to disclosure, We need school staff to do more to support us, We need a visible community to feel safe and experience belonging and We fight for our right to be visible. Implications for practice are discussed.
GSD YP transgress social and gender norms and are at an elevated risk for bullying in secondary school. In the UK, GSD identity-based bullying is pervasive and colours the lives of many GSD YP. It constitutes trauma and often results in negative mental health outcomes. Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) is the perception of positive psychological growth following trauma and has been recorded following various traumata, including interpersonal trauma. In adults and YP, several predictors of PTG have been identified. However, little is currently known about its antecedents in GSD YP. This study aimed to address this gap in the field. Survey data was collected from 173 participants (aged 16-25 years) who self-identified as GSD. Independent variables included social acceptance and support from secondary school friends, social support from school staff, engagement in activism, GSD school culture and sense of school belonging. Data was analysed using multiple regression. Results demonstrate the model was statistically significantly predictive of PTG in this population, with social support and acceptance from school friends being the strongest predictors. The study concluded that multiple facets of social support and acceptance promote positive outcomes following GSD identity-based bullying and that the support and acceptance of friends is particularly critical.
... There is evidence that among victims of childhood abuse, positive religious coping is associated with lower levels of negative psychological outcomes (Gerber et al., 2011;Upenieks, 2021). Drawing on religious coping in the aftermath of childhood adversity and trauma could provide victims with a source of social support and an outlet through which to derive positive self-worth (Gall et al., 2007;Gerber et al., 2011;Henderson, 2016;Schaefer et al., 2018;Schafer, 2014). Taken together, such processes may positively affect self-worth. ...
Early life course events and experiences affect lifelong processes of human development, and at the forefront of life course research, is how negative conditions during childhood compromise adult well-being. In the current study, we propose that individuals who experience early life adversity may be more susceptible to the effect of stressors that are also very much rooted in the self-concept, namely goal-striving stress, the feeling of falling short of one’s expectations. Using data from the 2014 Nashville Stress and Health Study from the United States (NSAHS), we examine this process and consider how elements of religiosity, particularly beliefs in God’s causal influence in human life (divine control) explain why goal-striving stress takes a larger toll on the self-esteem of individuals who experienced childhood abuse. Our findings indicate that (1) childhood abuse was positively associated with goal-striving stress and inversely associated with self-esteem, (2) goal-striving stress was inversely associated with self-esteem, (3) goal-striving stress exacerbated the association between childhood abuse and lower self-esteem. Mediated-moderation analyses also revealed that (4) lower perceptions of divine control explain why goal-striving stress was more damaging for victims of childhood abuse. Taken together, this study contributes to a growing body of work on anticipatory stressors and linkages to the self-concept for victims of early life adversity, and how adversity early in the life course might undermine key religious resources like divine control that may otherwise mitigate the noxious effects of stress.
... PTG has been observed among parents with critically or terminally ill children or children with acute health crises (Cadell et al., 2014;Colville & Cream, 2009;D'Urso et al., 2017;Hungerbuehler et al., 2011;Kim, 2017;Ogińska-Bulik & Ciechomska, 2016;Picoraro et al., 2014;Rodríguez-Rey & Alonso-Tapia, 2019); people with a wide range of health concerns including coronary health issues (Bluvstein et al., 2013;Hegarty et al., 2021;Kearns et al., 2019), cancer (Bussell & Naus, 2010;Casellas-Grau et al., 2017;Cormio et al., 2017;Danhauer et al., 2013Danhauer et al., , 2015Gori et al., 2021;Jim & Jacobsen, 2008;Marziliano et al., 2020;Paredes & Pereira, 2018;Rider Mundey et al., 2019;Zwahlen et al., 2010), stroke (Gangstad et al., 2009), physical disability (L. D. Goldberg et al., 2018), HIV infection (Pięta & Rzeszutek, 2022;Rzeszutek et al., 2019;Rzeszutek & Gruszczyńska, 2018;Sawyer et al., 2010), and chronic illnesses (Tolleson & Zeligman, 2019;Zeligman et al., 2018); survivors of natural (Bernstein & Pfefferbaum, 2018;Cameron et al., 2022;Cryder et al., 2006;Shang et al., 2020) and man-made disasters (Iwasa et al., 2019;Palgi et al., 2020), including earthquakes (Amiri et al., 2021;García & Wlodarczyk, 2018;Kesnold Mesidor, 2019;Zhou et al., 2020), fires (Palgi et al., 2020), floods (Boullion et al., 2020;Zeligman et al., 2019), hurricanes (Manove et al., 2019), tornadoes (Weber et al., 2019), and tsunamis (Siqveland et al., 2012); victims of crime, including victims of intimate partner violence (Arandia et al., 2018;Cobb et al., 2006;D'Amore et al., 2021), sexual violence (Burt & Katz, 1987;Sinko et al., 2022) sexual abuse (Ha et al., 2019), and childhood physical or sexual abuse (Schaefer et al., 2018); people in professions where exposure to danger or to the trauma of others is high (Armstrong et al., 2014;Chen et al., 2021;Chopko et al., 2017;Chopko & Schwartz, 2009;Feingold et al., 2022;Hyatt-Burkhart, 2014;Manning-Jones et al., 2015;McLean et al., 2011), and survivors of other distressing events. ...
Background. Posttraumatic growth (PTG)—positive changes that people may experience in the aftermath of highly distressing experiences—has been observed in survivors of a variety of events but has not been previously studied among people who have caused accidental death or injury (PCADIs). In addition, questions remain about the role, in PTG, of changes in the assumptive world and the relationships between PTG and distress, personality, and social support. Methods. Participants (N = 528), included PCADIs (n = 44) and a non-trauma comparison group (n = 484), who completed the Primals Inventory and measures of personality, anxiety, and depression. PCADIs (n = 43) also completed measures of PTG, PTG behavioral changes, social support and life satisfaction. Results. Modest levels of PTG commensurate with survivors of other relevant forms of distress were observed. Results demonstrated significant differences between primal world beliefs Good, Safe, Enticing, Just, Regenerative, Funny, and Improvable in PCADIs and non-trauma survivors as well as significant positive relationships between PTG and the primals Good, Safe, Alive, Just, Regenerative, Funny, and Improvable and between PTG and reported behavior changes related to PTG, but no significant relationships were found between PTG and distress, PTG and social support, or PTG and personality traits Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, or Agreeableness (though a significant negative relationship was observed between PTG and Neuroticism). Conclusions. PCADIs may experience PTG that both influences and is influenced by primal world beliefs, but the hypothesized relationships between PTG and distress, personality, and social support were not observed. Additional studies with larger PCADI populations may find these relationships exist at a statistically significant level. And future research should aim to develop interventions addressing the distress and growth potential of this population.
... -Help beneficiaries discover their own internal resources and talents and reinforce them. In particular, the following resources have been taken into consideration and are amenable to improvement in well-designed ToR programs: self-efficacy [55], self-awareness [56], projecting oneself into a meaningful future [57], coping abilities [58,59], and social skills [15,60]. -Enhance beneficiaries' emotional competence [61] and emotional regulation [62] in order to mitigate negative consequences of stress [44] and decrease emotional reactivity [63], as these are thought to have an adverse effect on psychosocial development [17]. ...
Resilience is a dynamic process involving the presence and interaction of personal and environmental factors that modify the impact of adversity. Resilience-building interventions are therefore important for improving trauma-related outcomes in children and caregivers exposed to adversity. This study examines the impact of the Tutor of Resilience (TOR) program on beneficiaries’ trauma-related symptoms and on mother–child interactions in a group of children exposed to maltreatment (N = 186; mean age = 11.95; SD = 2.50). Assessments were completed at baseline and post-intervention. RM-ANOVAs indicated significant improvements for most trauma symptoms (anxiety, anger, post-traumatic stress, and disassociation, but not depression) in the intervention group relative to a control group (N = 88; mean age = 10.76; SD = 2.57), and indicated further improvements to anxiety and dissociation for the intervention group when mothers were involved. Mother–child interactions also improved over time, as did their overall trauma symptoms and distress. Findings support the effectiveness of the ToR, especially when involving mothers.
... PTG has been investigated in response to victimization in adulthood (Elderton et al., 2017), childhood abuse and neglect (Sheridan & Carr, 2020;Tranter et al., 2020), and specifically in CSA survivors (Hartley et al., 2016;Lev-Wiesel, 2008). The relationship between PTG and other variables in the healing process has been studied in female and male CSA survivors (Kaye-Tzadok & Davidson-Arad, 2016;Saint Arnault & Sinko, 2019;Schaefer et al., 2018), as well as the importance of understanding the sexual abuse experience and ascribing it or not to traditional gender norms (Easton et al., 2013). ...
Background:
Child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors can experience psychological changes and growth as a consequence of their victimization experience, known as posttraumatic growth (PTG). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dimensionality, reliability and validity of the Spanish version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory - Short Form (PTGI-SF) (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) in a sample of 104 adult survivors of CSA.
Method:
Different models of PTGI-SF validated in different languages and samples were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis.
Results:
The results showed that the original five-factor model exhibited the best goodness of fit. Internal consistency was adequate for the general scale, and acceptable for the five different factors. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between the PTGI-SF total score and psychosocial and mental health problems, as well as gender differences, with women tending to report more PTG than men.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that the Spanish PTGI-SF is a brief, reliable, valid self-report measure for assessing PTG experienced by CSA survivors.
... First, Religion as a coping strategy affected PTG in fathers of children with ID. The significant contribution of Religion accounting for PTG was also found in studies with other people experiencing traumatic events (Byra, 2016;Schaefer et al., 2017), including mothers of children with disabilities (Byra et al., 2017). This may be a consequence of a cultural context where religiosity plays an important role. ...
Objective
We sought to examine the correlation between resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in fathers of children with intellectual disabilities (ID), exploring the mediating effect of coping. We also tested whether this mediation effect is moderated by sense of stress.
Background
Raising a child with ID has been associated with both negative and positive aspects of psychological functioning. Little is known, however, about determinants of positive changes in fathers.
Method
The data for this study come from 106 Polish fathers of children with ID who completed a set of questionnaires measuring PTG, resilience, coping strategies, and sense of stress. The relations between variables using moderated mediation were tested.
Results
PTG correlates positively with resilience. Coping strategies (i.e., seeking emotional support and religion) are mediators of this relationship, and sense of stress is a moderator of this mediation. Higher levels of sense of stress increase the mediating role of these coping strategies, which translates into higher PTG in fathers with higher resilience.
Conclusion
The relationship between resilience and PTG is complex, mediated by coping strategies, and differs in fathers with high and low stress.
Implications
Knowledge on the importance of resilience and coping strategies for experiencing positive changes may be used by professionals working with fathers raising children with ID.
... Especially in uncertain or stressful situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, holding more positive and less negative expectancies about the future is important and protective for individual health [5,6]. Compared to pessimists, optimists have been linked to lower levels of markers of inflammation, lower cortisol responses under stress, more adaptive immune responses and post-traumatic growth, lower depression levels, and higher life satisfaction [7][8][9][10]. ...
Prior research has found the differential strength of optimism and pessimism in predicting physical health. However, whether similar findings would be obtained in predicting subjective well-being and the possible underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This study examined the relative strength of optimism and pessimism in predicting adolescent life satisfaction and depression, and further explored the possible mediating mechanisms from the perspective of emotion regulation. A sample of 2672 adolescents (Mage = 13.54 years, SD = 1.04; 55.60% boys) completed a survey assessing optimism and pessimism, the habitual use of reappraisal and acceptance strategies, life satisfaction, and depression. The results from dominance analysis revealed that the presence of optimism was more powerful than the absence of pessimism in predicting adolescent life satisfaction, while the absence of pessimism was more powerful than the presence of optimism in predicting adolescent depression. Moreover, mediation models showed that reappraisal and acceptance mediated both the link between optimism and life satisfaction and the link between pessimism and depression. These findings suggest possible avenues for intervening in different aspects of adolescent subjective well-being.
... Resilient functioning after adversity is facilitated by protective resilience factors (RFs) that support individuals to adapt and recover from ACEs [33]. The wider literature suggests that RFs at the individual, family and community level are associated with a reduced likelihood of developing psychosocial problems [23,33,87]. ...
Background
Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to maintain or regain functioning in the face of adversity. Recent work to harmonise the quantification and definition of resilience quantifies resilience as the residual variance in psychosocial functioning that remains after accounting for adversity exposure. However, there have been no published studies that have formally investigated the validity of this approach. Considering this, we examine the construct and predictive validity of the residuals approach using participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a multigenerational, longitudinal cohort study.
Methods
We regressed exposures of adolescent adversity on adolescent psychopathology scores using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and obtained the residual variance. We investigated construct validity by analysing whether previously identified demographic and resilience factors significantly predicted resilience. Predictive validity of resilience was investigated by comparing the predictive power of resilience with other determinants of psychosocial functioning on two developmental outcomes: depressive symptoms at 18 years, measured by the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire, and NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) status at 17 and 23 years. The associations between depressive symptoms at 18, resilience, ACEs and covariates were tested using multiple linear regression. NEET status at 17 and 23 were run as separate binary multiple logistic regression models to test associations with resilience and known demographics previously associated with NEET status.
Results
Seven previously identified protective factors, including self-esteem, positive sibling relationship, temperament, and positive perception of school, significantly predicted resilience to adolescent psychopathology, thus providing strong construct validity. Resilience significantly predicted a reduction in depressive symptoms at 18 years, and significantly decreased the likelihood of having NEET status at both 17 years and 23 years, even after taking into account early childhood adversity and other risk factors. None of the socioeconomic factors were significantly associated with resilience.
Conclusions
Our study demonstrates that the residuals method of operationalising resilience has good construct and predictive validity yet recommend replication studies. It has the potential to advance research into the mechanisms and modifiability of resilience.
Trial Registration: Not applicable.
... Supporting our findings, structural equation modeling has also shown that higher levels of adaptive coping predicts higher levels of PTG (60). As growth can coexist with the negative effects of trauma (61), adaptive coping might prove more useful in providing a framework to achieve a sense of control over adversity, which is necessary to experience PTG (62), rather than in protecting from traumatic symptoms. The regression analysis for PTG also suggested that the experience of growth might be negatively affected by the severity of psychotic symptoms, supporting the idea that psychotic symptoms are associated with a range of negative long-term functioning outcomes (63). ...
Trauma and trauma-specific mental health difficulties (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) are highly prevalent in people with psychosis. However, not everyone develops post-traumatic symptoms, and some people even experience post-traumatic growth (PTG) following trauma. It is important to identify which protective factors are associated with less severe trauma symptoms and/or positive outcomes to inform the development and implementation of interventions fostering these variables. Eighty-five patients with experiences of psychosis took part in a cross-sectional study. They were administered questionnaires measuring exposure to traumatic events, symptoms of PTSD and complex PTSD and potential protective factors assumed to be associated with lower vulnerability for post-traumatic symptoms and higher post-traumatic growth (trait resilience, secure attachment, social support, adaptive coping, optimism, general self-efficacy). Multiple hierarchical regression showed that some of these protective factors, in particular optimism, were associated with lower post-traumatic symptoms, explaining 21% of the variance in complex PTSD symptoms and 16% of the variance in PTSD symptoms. However, the hypothesized protective factors, in particular resilience and adaptive coping, explained a considerably larger proportion of variance in PTG (44%). Our results suggest that whilst these variables provide only moderate protection from the vulnerability to experience post-traumatic stress, they may play an important role in allowing people to find meaning despite multiple traumas and subsequently lead more fulfilling lives. Therapies targeting the emotional and psychological consequences of trauma in people with psychosis might benefit from the integration of intervention strategies to enhance these additional psychological protective factors, which in turn may lead to positive treatment outcomes beyond the mere reduction of post-traumatic stress symptoms.
... Other similar concepts have been advanced to measure trauma recovery, including resilience and PTG. Resilience has been defined as "the ability of individuals facing adversity to utilize resources within psychological, social, and cultural domains that sustain their wellbeing and promote adaptive outcomes" (Schaefer et al., 2018;Ungar, 2012). Here, the authors highlight resource utilization that enables healing or recovery rather than the nature of healing itself. ...
PurposeThe Healing after Gender-based Violence Scale (GBV-Heal) was developed to measure the holistic recovery processes of woman-identifying survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). The GBV-Heal asks survivors to evaluate a series of statements based on perceptions of one’s lowest point and how they currently feel. These scale response options create lowest point, current feelings, and difference scores to evaluate the healing outcome cross-sectionally. This manuscript aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the GBV-Heal to understand its usefulness for research and practice.Method
Instrument evaluation consisted of two phases analyzing online survey data from two GBV survivor samples recruited from online health research portals in the United States. In Phase One (N = 236), we conducted factor analyses and evaluated convergent/discriminant validity using depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, posttraumatic growth, and wellbeing measures. In Phase Two (N = 47), we evaluated GBV-Heal response consistency via test–retest within two weeks.ResultsResults showed that the scale’s final model included 4 components with 18 items, explaining 61.2% and 65% of the overall scale variances for “at my lowest point” and “my current feelings,” respectively. The GBV-Heal difference score showed a weak positive correlation with wellbeing and posttraumatic growth scores and a weak negative correlation with depression, anxiety, and PTSD scores. Test–retest revealed Pearson r correlations of 0.82, 0.82, and 0.69 for the lowest point, current feelings, and difference scores respectively.Conclusion
These findings substantiate the reliability and validity of our instrument as an outcome measure that can be used both cross-sectionally and longitudinally with survivors of GBV.
... Cette absence de conséquences de niveau clinique est souvent qualifiée de résilience (Meng et al., 2018;Moen et Erickson, 1995). Les études sur la résilience des victimes d'ASE se sont surtout concentrées sur l'influence des caractéristiques individuelles des victimes, telles que leurs stratégies d'adaptation, ainsi que sur la qualité de leur soutien social (Schaefer et al., 2018;Wright et al., 2005). Or, peu ont exploré l'effet du dévoilement sur la résilience de ces victimes, alors que cette expérience implique à la fois le déploiement de stratégies d'adaptation, mais reflète aussi la qualité du soutien de l'entourage. ...
Objectifs : Déterminer, à partir d’analyses secondaires de données d’une enquête réalisée auprès de femmes victimes d’agression sexuelle vécue à l’enfance (ASE), l’effet du dévoilement sur la résilience à l’âge adulte.
Méthodes : L’échantillon est composé de 86 femmes victimes d’ASE et ne présentant pas de difficultés d’intensité clinique (groupe résilient) qui ont été comparées à 353 femmes victimes d’ASE présentant des difficultés d’intensité clinique (groupe non résilient) afin d’identifier les patrons de dévoilement qui prédisaient leur appartenance au groupe de résilience, en contrôlant pour les caractéristiques de l’ASE, les autres mauvais traitements subis dans l’enfance et différentes données sociodémographiques.
Résultats : Le patron de dévoilement est significativement associé à la résilience. Les participantes ayant dévoilé l’ASE et ayant perçu que l’aide reçue ne les a pas aidées étaient moins susceptibles d’appartenir au groupe de résilience que celles n’ayant jamais dévoilé l’ASE.
Implications : Les réactions envers la victime à la suite du dévoilement d’une ASE et la perception qu’elle a de celles-ci semblent être associées à la résilience des femmes adultes victimes d’ASE. Les résultats montrent la nécessité de programmes de prévention axés sur la proactivité dans la recherche d’aide pour les victimes d’ASE ainsi que des moyens pour sensibiliser et outiller les personnes susceptibles de recevoir un dévoilement d’ASE.
... Yet, multifinality is apparent in the aftermath of ACEs, with observed diversity in outcomes and multiple trajectories of functioning based on the type and timing of childhood adversity [72]. For example, Schaefer and colleagues found that ACEs impacted individual resilience and posttraumatic growth among emerging adults, with younger age at first childhood adversity associated with lower levels of adaptive outcomes in adulthood [73]. Thus, as work in ACEs advances, it is essential to include a more robust examination of resilience, with specific focus on how resilience may manifest across generations rather than solely highlighting the negative ramifications of adversity. ...
Early research on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) provided staggering evidence of the significant ramifications of ACEs on physical health and functioning. It brought to the forefront the importance of addressing trauma and family dysfunction to enhance public health. Over the past several decades, the study of childhood adversity has blossomed, with expanded conceptualizations and assessments of ACEs. This review brings together various biological, psychological, and sociological principles that inform our understanding of ACEs and our approach to treatment. Specifically, we document the evolution of ACEs research, focusing on the intergenerational impact of ACEs, the importance of incorporating a resilience framework when examining ACEs, and implementing interventions that address adversity across generations and at multiple levels of the social ecology. Evidence is provided to support the evolving perspective that ACEs have long-lasting effects beyond the ACE(s)-exposed individual, with significant attention to the impact of parental ACEs on child development. An intergenerational and multilevel approach to understanding and addressing ACEs offers specific areas to target in interventions and in public policy.
... Individual child characteristics, including increased sociability, empathy, self-efficacy, positive temperament, and cognitive skills (Coohey et al., 2011;Rutter, 1985), as well as selfregulatory skills and personality styles (Cicchetti & Rogosch, 2007;Collishaw et al., 2007;Flores et al., 2005;Haskett et al., 2006;Kim et al., 2009;Oshri et al., 2013;Shiner & Masten, 2012), and physical activity (Crush, Arseneault, Moffitt et al., 2018) have been associated with resilient functioning following adversity. Familial factors that promote resilience include stable and supportive parenting (Cabaj et al., 2014;Masten et al., 1990Masten et al., , 1999Schaefer et al., 2018), while broader contextual influences include the quality of peer and adult relationships (Collishaw et al., 2007;Flores et al., 2005;Haskett et al., 2006), as well a range of socioeconomic and community indices (such as social cohesion) that reflect the social capital of the community more broadly (Cabaj et al., 2014;Crush, Arseneault, Moffitt et al., 2018;Runyan et al., 1998). Other factors associated with the severity and/or chronicity of maltreatment itself may influence the likelihood for resilience following trauma (Litrownik et al., 2005;Sattler & Font, 2018). ...
Objective
The processes facilitating resilience are likely to be influenced by individual, familial and contextual factors that are dynamic across the life-course. These factors have been less studied in relation to resilience profiles evident in the developmental period between early to middle childhood, relative to later periods of adolescence or adulthood.
Method
This study examined factors associated with resilience in a cohort of 4,716 children known to child protection services by age 13 years, in the Australian State of New South Wales. Latent profile and transition analyses were used to identify multi-dimensional profiles of resilience as evident in social, emotional and cognitive functioning when assessed in early childhood (time 1 [T1], age 5–6 years) and middle childhood (time 2 [T2], age 10–11 years). Logistic regression models were used to investigate factors associated with two types of resilience identified: a transition profile of stress-resistance (i.e., represented by a typically developing profile at both T1 and T2) delineated in the largest subgroup (54%) of children, and a smaller subgroup (13%) with a profile of emergent resilience (i.e., typically developing at T2 following a vulnerable profile at T1).
Results
Factors associated with resilience profiles included being female, and personality characteristics of openness and extraversion; other factors associated with stress-resistance, specifically, included higher socioeconomic status, non-Indigenous background, higher perceived port at home and at school, and not having a parent with a history of criminal offending.
Conclusions
Resilience processes appear to involve a complex interplay between individual, family, and community characteristics requiring interagency support.
Over the past decades, numerous studies have repeatedly demonstrated the risk factors and long-term negative outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences. However, the factors that contribute to positive development and psychological resilience after adverse childhood experiences are less well known. The aim of this study was to understand the childhood resilience factors of young adults who experienced adverse childhood experiences. Focus Group Interview was used in this qualitative study. Participants were young adults (n= 6) who were university students between the ages of 21 and 26 (mean age = 23.17, SD= 2.14). The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that individual, relational and societal factors played a protective role in the participants' childhood. At the same time, participants emphasized that relational and societal protective factors had some shortcomings or potentially damaging consequences. This preliminary study uncovered multiple layers of childhood protective factors (individual, relational and societal) and emphasized the importance of assessing the multifaceted nature of protective factors.
Purpose:
To identify the theory, knowledge, and practical applications that clinical nurse specialists should consider adding to their "toolkit" to support them in caring for people affected by cancer with young children.
Data sources:
Expert opinion and relevant studies on the topic formed the basis of this article.
Conclusion:
A conversation with experts identified five key areas of knowledge important to supporting clinical nurse specialists in caring for people affected by cancer with young children: family-centered and systemic practice, nursing responsibilities and competencies, trauma-informed practice, adult life stages, and stages of child development. Key areas identified have relevance to all healthcare professionals working in cancer care.
Implications for nursing practice:
This article provides a useful overview of psychological theories important to supporting healthcare professionals in caring for people affected by cancer. A discussion on the boundaries and competencies of the nursing role led to agreement about practical advice rooted in theory and knowledge that could benefit clinical practice. Concepts of emotional labor and the wounded healer were identified as important to inform reflection and supervision when caring for a parent affected by cancer who has a young family.
Bu çalışmanın amacı retrospektif Çocukluk Dönemi Koruyucu Yaşantılar Ölçeği’nin (ÇD-KYÖ) geliştirilmesi ve ilk psikometrik özelliklerinin test edilmesidir. Bu amaçla dört çalışma grubuna ulaşılmıştır (n=856). Katılımcılar Türkiye’de klinik olmayan genç yetişkin üniversite öğrencileridir (Yaş aralığı= 18-27). Ölçme araçları olarak ÇD-KYÖ, Çocukluk Çağı Travmaları Ölçeği (CTQ-33), Çocukluk Çağı Olumlu Yaşantılar Ölçeği (ÇÇOYÖ), Kısa Psikolojik Sağlamlık Ölçeği ve Sosyo-Demografik Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. ÇD-KYÖ’nün geçerlik kanıtları için kapsam geçerliği (uzman görüşü ve hedef grupla pilot çalışmalar), yapı-kavram geçerliği (açıklayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizi), ölçüt bağıntılı geçerlik (benzer bir ölçekle Pearson Korelasyon Katsayısı) ve ayırt edicilik geçerlik kullanılmıştır. Güvenirlik için Cronbach Alfa içtutarlık ve Mcdonald Omega hesaplanmıştır. Sonuçlar ÇD-KYÖ’nün geçerli, güvenilir olduğunu ve üç faktörlü bir yapı gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Bu yapı doğrulayıcı faktör analiz ile doğrulanmıştır. ÇD-KYÖ ile ÇÇOYÖ arasında pozitif korelasyon bulunmuştur (r=.58, p
Individuals utilize some coping mechanisms in order to deal with difficult life circles and trauma experiences. In the wake of the coping process, the person can overcome this negative outcome and even reach a better functionality compared to the past. As and when the factors effective in overcoming and recovering from negative experiences are investigated, there appear the concepts of post-traumatic growth and psychological resilience. Post-traumatic growth can be defined as the per-son's gaining a positive perspective stemming from traumatic experiences, lessons learned, and individual interpretations in the aftermath of trauma. (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). Furthermore, psychological resilience is defined as a person's ability to successfully overcome adverse conditions and adapt to a new situation. (Doğan, 2015). This study aims to examine the relationships between the concepts of post-traumatic growth and psychological resilience through psychotraumatology. In this context, studies conducted at home and abroad on related concepts were examined, the results were compared, and the similarities and differences were revealed.
The current study investigated gender differences in perceived social support and posttraumatic growth for survivors of intimate partner violence. Participants for this study included 86 undergraduate students who indicated at least one instance of partner abuse (consisting of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and harassment). Participants were predominantly female (68%), White/Caucasian (62%), and between 18 and 21 years of age (84%). Participants responded to the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Composite Abuse Scale, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Mean differences and correlational analyses were utilized to investigate potential gender differences in the study variables as well as the relationships among them. The prevalence of intimate partner violence was comparable to those found in other studies, with 59% of men and 57% of women indicating experiencing abuse from a partner. Although the prevalence rates were similar, women indicated higher overall partner abuse victimization than did men. Moreover, women indicated statistically significantly higher scores than men in three of the four Composite Abuse Scale subscales, reflecting higher levels of victimization for all forms of abuse except for partner harassment. Further, perceived social support scores were similar for men and women, with the only significant gender difference to emerge being that men indicated higher levels of familial support than did women. No statistically significant gender differences emerged for overall posttraumatic growth or for any of its domains. Finally, social support was correlated with posttraumatic growth for women but not for men. The current study, therefore, suggests that men and women may experience similar levels of personal growth in the aftermath of partner abuse. Moreover, these results imply that the relationship between social support and posttraumatic growth may vary according to the gender of the survivor.
Importance
Virtual home-based interventions may bolster protective factors, such as family health and resilience, during stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic; however, their effectiveness is unknown.
Objective
To examine the effectiveness of a virtual health coaching intervention on family health and resilience during the pandemic.
Design, Setting, and Participants
In this parallel-group, single-site randomized clinical trial, 123 parents and their 2- to 8-year-old children were enrolled at a pediatric clinic or community partner site in Tennessee from March 10 to August 11, 2021. Follow-up surveys were completed between June 29 and November 11, 2021.
Interventions
All participants received 11 weekly cooking videos and associated home-delivered groceries. The intervention group also received 12 weekly, 30-minute virtual health coach sessions.
Main Outcomes and Measures
The primary outcome was the validated 6-item (range, 6-30) Family Healthy Lifestyle Subscale (FHLS) scores. The secondary outcome was the validated 6-item (range, 0-6) Family Resilience and Connection Index (FRCI) scores. Outcomes were determined a priori and evaluated at baseline and 12-week follow-up. A priori independent t tests and multivariable tobit regression models assessed intervention effects, and post hoc, secondary interaction models assessed whether effects differed over baseline outcomes.
Results
Among the 123 enrolled families, 110 (89%) were included in the primary analyses (parent mean [SD] age, 35.1 [8.2] years; 104 [95%] female; 55 [50%] non-Hispanic Black; child mean [SD] age, 5.2 [1.7] years; 62 [56%] male). Intervention-control group mean differences were nonsignificant for follow-up FHLS scores (0.7; 95% CI, −0.6 to 2.0; P = .17) and FRCI scores (0.1; 95% CI, −0.5 to 0.6; P = .74). Tobit regression model intervention effects were nonsignificant for FHLS scores (0.9; 95% CI, −0.3 to 2.2; P = .15) and FRCI scores (0.4; 95% CI, −0.2 to 1.1; P = .17). Post hoc, secondary models found no significant interaction for FHLS scores (1.3 increase per 5-point decrease; 95% CI, −0.2 to 2.7; P = .09), with significant intervention associations for baseline scores of 6 to 23. The interaction was significant for FRCI scores (0.4 increase per 1-point decrease; 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.8; P = .047), with significant intervention associations for baseline scores of 0 to 3.
Conclusions and Relevance
In this randomized clinical trial of families with young children, weekly virtual health coaching did not detectably improve family health and resilience. Post hoc, secondary results provided preliminary evidence of potential effectiveness among families with low baseline scores.
Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05328193
This paper describes potential benefits and empirical support for applying key components of Resilience theory and its associated models to intervention strategies within the field of juvenile justice. Traditionally, practitioners have utilized aspects of resilience theory for clients and patients within psychology, social work, and medicine. However, emerging research has demonstrated that the process of positively coping with risk can minimize factors that promote delinquency and criminality. Results have demonstrated that constructs such as low self-esteem, school detachment, poor socialization, and environmental influences can be positively affected by implementing critical features of resiliency. Additionally, implications are provided for practitioners seeking to develop or improve intervention programs such as restorative justice, and recommended areas for further research are provided.
The current study sought to explore the mediating effect of belief in a just world (BJW) in the link between perceived social support (PSS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) and analyzed the moderating effect of gender among child and adolescent survivors 12 years after the Chinese Wenchuan earthquake. In a span of five months, 515 participants aged 18 to 30 (96.5% of the 561 participants surveyed) were selected and measured using the following scales: Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Just World Belief Scale, and Post-traumatic Growth Inventory. Correlation analysis showed that PSS was positively correlated with PTG. Mediation analysis suggested that BJW partially mediated the association between PSS and PTG. Moderated mediation analysis indicated that gender moderated the link between PSS and BJW. Specifically, the link between PSS and BJW was stronger for male survivors compared to female peers. Overall, child and adolescent survivors with high PSS experienced higher levels of PTG. The moderated mediation model provides a better understanding of how PSS, BJW, and gender work together to affect PTG. The findings of this study highlight the long-term psychological consequences of severe traumatic events for child and adolescent survivors. Furthermore, we discuss the relevance of PSS to those psychological consequences and their implications for survivors following a natural disaster in early life.
Background:
The beneficial role of social support on posttraumatic growth (PTG) has been assumed by theoretical models and established in some studies. However, there are inconsistent findings and little knowledge on moderators. The present study aims to investigate the overall effect size of the relationship and identify factors affecting the association.
Methods:
Six electronic databases were searched. Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) were used to evaluate the quality of studies. Study quality, study design, trauma type, PTG measure, social support measure, continent, publishing language, sample size, gender, religion, and age were analyzed as moderators. Meta-regression was conducted with the significant differential predictors in moderator analysis.
Results:
The meta-analysis included 217 samples and a total of 47,940 participants from both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. There was a medium positive effect size between social support and PTG in random effect model, r = 0.418, p < .001. The meta-regression analysis indicated that the association between social support and PTG was stronger among caregivers (vs. other traumatized samples), Chinese, older individuals and studies with smaller sample size.
Limitations:
Only survey results were included in the analysis. The retrospective self-report may limit a more objective assessment of the relations. In addition, 87 % of the studies were cross-sectional, which may influence the estimation of a valid effect size.
Conclusions:
Regarding the medium positive association between social support and PTG, it is important to enhance social support for trauma survivors. It will be especially effective for caregivers, Chinese, and older people.
The present study elucidates heterogeneity in post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) across adolescence in a sample of youth who have experienced myriad types and combinations of potentially traumatic events (PTEs), including substantiated physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and/or at least one other self-reported PTE. A machine learning technique was used to assess a multivariate set of variables (e.g., PTEs, individual risk and protective factors, social risk and protective factors, and racial and ethnic minority status) as predictors of PTSS trajectory group membership. The sample included 498 maltreated (n = 275) and comparison (n = 223) 14-19-year-old female adolescents (M = 15.27, SD = 1.06 at Time 1) assessed annually until age 19. 45.7% of participants were White, 45.3% Black, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Hispanic, and 7.7% other. Growth mixture modeling identified three distinct trajectories of PTSS: (1) recovery (56%); (2) moderate, chronic (25%); and (3) high, chronic (19%). An elastic net model was used to test predictors of membership in the recovery versus the high, chronic PTSS trajectory groups. Results demonstrated that the recovery trajectory was characterized by the absence of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and other traumas, higher self-esteem, less affective dysregulation, less risky peers, lower levels of parent depression, and being of racial/ethnic minority status. Findings help to characterize individual variation in trajectories of PTSS following PTEs by underscoring the unique trauma responses of racial and ethnic minority youth and offering possible targets of interventions to promote recovery from PTSS.
Religion and spirituality (R/S) have been influential in societies' history, daily life, and identity in the past and in today's society. From a sociological perspective, R/S contributes to family development and organization, influences culture, and often contributes to forming opinions, beliefs, and concepts about oneself, family, society, and the world. In addition, R/S help shape individuals, families, and communities' ethical and moral understanding, thus influencing their behavior. This review article aims to provide the clinician with tools to understand, assess, and provide interventions that consider the patients' and their families' R/S. A recent review of the topic focused on general aspects of the R/S but we are unaware of reviews that integrate attachment, moral foundation theory, and forgiveness. This review will integrate these additional features into our understanding of the role of R/S in the delivery of mental health.
Purpose of review:
Despite 3-17% of adolescent and young adult males (AYAMs) experiencing sexual violence, there is a paucity of information regarding their sexual violence experiences leaving them vulnerable to dangerous and detrimental sequelae.
Recent findings:
There is underreporting and under-discussion of AYAMs' experiences of sexual violence, with disclosure influenced by societal perceptions of male sexuality, shame, and fear of discrimination. AYAMs experience sexual violence from individuals known to them, with many experiencing physical violence, threats, coercion, and electronic harassment. Intersectionality, previous traumas, inappropriate childhood exposures to sexually explicit situations, select online media consumption, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of sexual violence. AYAMs who experience sexual violence are at increased risk of re-victimization, perpetrating sexual violence, experiencing bodily harm, contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and experiencing internalizing and externalizing symptoms, which can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Research on male-specific protective and resilience factors is scarce and represents an ongoing need.
Summary:
After reviewing AYAMs' experiences of sexual violence, including risk and protective factors, media influences, detrimental sequelae, and resilience factors, we provide a screening framework to empower the healthcare provider (HCP) to champion tailored prevention, screening, intervention, and advocacy efforts to support AYAMs.
Background
Little is known about the relationship between childhood maltreatment and well-being in young adults, including the role of post-traumatic growth (PTG) in promoting better outcomes for young adults who have a history of childhood maltreatment (HCM).
Objective
To examine the relationship between child maltreatment and well-being among young adults, by considering the perpetrator and the extent of the maltreatment, as well as PTG among young adults with a HCM.
Participants and setting
The sample comprised 537 young adults (aged 18–25; M = 21.09 years, SD = 2.36) from across Australia, with 182 young adults in the sample forming the cohort with a HCM.
Method
Participants' current well-being, the extent of maltreatment by their mother, father and other adults experienced as a child (<18 years), and PTG was collected using an online survey. Tests of group differences and multiple regression were conducted to analyse the relationships between child maltreatment, PTG, and current well-being.
Results
Maltreatment by one's mother or father predicted poorer current well-being, but not maltreatment by another adult. Young adults who identified as having a HCM had poorer well-being than those who did not. Within the cohort of those with a HCM, greater PTG predicted greater well-being, and also mitigated the negative relationship between child maltreatment by one's father and well-being.
Conclusion
Findings indicate that both the extent of child maltreatment and the relationship to the perpetrator have implications for well-being among young adults. PTG appeared to play a protective role, highlighting the potential therapeutic benefit of fostering PTG to improve well-being among young adults with a HCM.
To create a new conceptual model of resilience based on evidence, this integrative systematic review aims to identify the evidence-based protective factors related to resilience among children, adolescents and young adults at-risk of several exposures. An Integrative Systematic review was conducted by using systematic principles according to PRISMA statement. Searching strategy was conducted through MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science (ISI) and PsycINFO during July 2021(1991–2021). Keywords were related to resilience, self-esteem, hardiness, ego-resilience, risk factors, vulnerability, protective factors, ecological model and theoretical model. Those statiscally significant protective factors found in individual studies conducted with young populations (from 7 to 24 years old) exposed to violence, trauma or socio-economic instability were included in the qualitative synthesis. Of 15,235 peer-reviewed articles initially identified, 93 articles were screened and met the inclusion criteria; finally, 31 articles were included for the quality synthesis. More than 60 protective factors were found. They were classified in 10 different domains and two dimensions of resilience (Individual skills and Environmental), developing a new model of resilience: The Individual and Environmental Resilience Model (IERM). The Environmental dimension includes the domains: Family, School, Peers, Cultural and Community and The Individual skills dimension: Biological, Behaviour, Communications, Cognitive and Emotional domains. These domains and their specific protective factors have been set up as protective factors that significantly buffer negative outcomes in the face of adverse events. Compared with other models currently available, the new IERM model is potentially a more comprehensive approach that may facilitate the development of effective interventions to promote resilience in children, adolescents and young adults.
Positive religious coping is linked with better mental health outcomes following physical and sexual abuse while negative religious coping is associated with poorer outcomes. Religious coping styles may be linked with dispositional tendencies to experience guilt or shame. This study compared the associations between guilt and shame proneness and religious coping styles and tested whether abuse history moderated these relationships. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 425 college students ( n = 145 with physical and/or sexual abuse history, n = 280 with no abuse history). Participants completed questionnaires assessing positive and negative religious coping style, as well as two dimensions of guilt proneness and shame proneness. Structural equation models were fitted to examine associations between guilt proneness and shame proneness, and positive and negative religious coping, respectively, accounting for abuse history as a binary moderator. Across the full sample, positive religious coping was positively associated with guilt repair (i.e., the tendency to engage in reparative behaviors following one’s wrongdoing), guilt negative behavior evaluation (i.e., the tendency to feel bad about how one acted in a given scenario), and shame withdrawal (i.e., the tendency to try and avoid unpleasant situations in which one has done something wrong), and negatively associated with shame negative self-evaluation (i.e., the tendency to make internal, negative self-attributions about one’s wrongdoing). Negative religious coping was positively associated with shame withdrawal and, for participants with no abuse history, shame negative self-evaluation. Results suggest that positive religious coping is more closely related to guilt proneness, and negative religious coping to shame proneness. Additional research with longitudinal designs and more defined abuse history subgroups is needed.
Background: Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to maintain or regain functioning in the face of adversity. Recent work to harmonise the quantification and definition of resilience quantifies resilience as the residual variance in psychosocial functioning that remains after accounting for adversity exposure. However, there have been no published studies that have formally investigated the validity of this approach. Considering this, we examine the construct and predictive validity of the residuals approach using participants from ALSPAC.
Methods: We regressed exposures of adolescent adversity on adolescent psychopathology scores using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and obtained the residual variance. We investigated construct validity by analysing whether previously identified demographic and resilience factors significantly predicted resilience. Predictive validity of resilience was investigated by comparing the predictive power of resilience with other determinants of psychosocial functioning on two developmental outcomes: depressive symptoms at 18 years, measured by the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire, and NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) status at 17 and 23 years. The associations between depressive symptoms at 18, resilience, ACEs and covariates were tested using multiple linear regression. NEET status at 17 and 23 were run as separate binary multiple logistic regression models to test associations with resilience and known demographics previously associated with NEET status.
Results: Seven previously identified protective factors, including self-esteem, positive sibling relationship, temperament, and positive perception of school, significantly predicted resilience to adolescent psychopathology, thus providing strong construct validity. Resilience significantly predicted a reduction in depressive symptoms at 18 years, and significantly decreased the likelihood of having NEET status at both 17 years and 23 years, even after taking into account early childhood adversity and other risk factors. None of the socioeconomic factors were significantly associated with resilience.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the residuals method of operationalising resilience has good construct and predictive validity yet recommend replication studies. It has the potential to advance research into the mechanisms and modifiability of resilience.
Trial Registration: Not applicable
This article describes a scale measuring dispositional optimism, defined in terms of generalized outcome expectancies. Two preliminary studies assessed the scale’s psychometric properties and its relationships with several other instruments. The scale was then used in a longitudinal study of symptom reporting among a group of undergraduates. Specifically, respondents were asked to complete three questionnaires 4 weeks before the end of a semester. Included in the questionnaire battery was the measure of optimism, a measure of private self-consciousness, and a 39-item physical symptom checklist. Subjects completed the same set of questionnaires again on the last day of class. Consistent with predictions, subjects who initially reported being highly optimistic were subsequently less likely to report being bothered by symptoms (even after correcting for initial symptom-report levels) than were subjects who initially reported being less optimistic. This effect tended to be stronger among persons high in private self-consciousness than among those lower in private self-consciousness. Discussion centers on other health related applications of the optimism scale, and the relationships between our theoretical orientation and several related theories.
Psychological adaptation following homicide loss can prove more challenging for grievers than other types of losses. Although social support can be beneficial in bereavement, research is mixed in terms of identifying whether it serves as a buffer to distress following traumatic loss. In particular, studies have not parsed out specific domains of social support that best predict positive bereavement outcomes. Recruiting a sample of 47 African Americans bereaved by homicide, we examined six types of social support along with the griever's perceived need for or satisfaction with each and analyzed them in relation to depression, anxiety, complicated grief, and posttraumatic stress disorder outcomes. Results of multivariate analyses revealed that the griever's level of satisfaction with physical assistance at the initial assessment best predicted lower levels of depression, anxiety, and posttrau-matic stress disorder levels 6 months later, while less need for physical assistance predicted lower complicated grief at follow-up. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
This analysis examined the contribution of personal, family (maternal and paternal support; sibling support) and extra-familiar (peer support; other adults) resilience to the prediction of clinical levels of PTSD symptoms in adolescents reporting sexual abuse. Controls were established for abuse-related variables (type of abuse, severity and multiple abuse) in a representative sample of high schools students in the province of Quebec. A total of 15.2% of adolescent females and 4.4% adolescent males in high school reported a history of sexual abuse in childhood. Sexually abused adolescent females (27.8%) were more likely than adolescent males (14.9%) to achieve scores with high clinical levels of PTSD. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that over and above the characteristics of the sexual abuse experienced, resilience factors (maternal and peer support) contributed to the prediction of symptoms of PTSD attaining the clinical threshold. Alternative intervention and prevention practices geared to adolescent victims of sexual assault are discussed.
ABSTRACT As part of an 11-country qualitative study of resilience among at-risk youth, 19 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadian adolescents were interviewed. In this paper, we report on the Canadian youths’ culturally specific and generic strategies to cope ,with adversity. Findings suggest that the youths’ resilience, or capacity to cope under stress, reflects different degrees of access to 7 mental health-enhancingexperiences,(we term these “tensions”): access to material resources; access to sup- portive relationships; development,of a desirable personal identity; experiences,of power and control; adherence,to cultural traditions; experiences of social justice; and experiences of a sense of cohesion with others. The design of multinational, health ,studies can unintentionally contribute to an ,assumption ,of
Two questions prompted this targeted review: (a) What are the behavioral and social determinants of individual and/or collective resilience—the capacity to rebound from crisis? and (b) Is the evidence base for related concepts, including hardiness, sense of coherence, and posttraumatic growth consistent? The findings suggest that the theory of salutogenesis, operationalized by the sense of coherence construct, is inclusive of the related concepts of resilience and hardiness. Moreover, it is grounded in robust primary research of cross-cultural relevance. More recent concepts of recovery and posttraumatic growth also contribute to our understanding of resilience. Implications for international humanitarian psychosocial programming are discussed.
The current study assessed relationships between religious coping, gender, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG). A sample of 1,016 participants completed measures of these constructs during an online mass testing procedure. Overall, positive religious coping was more strongly related to PTG and negative religious coping was more strongly related to PTSD. These relationships remained significant after controlling for traditional coping methods, gender, and race. In addition, positive religious coping partially mediated the relationship between gender and PTG. Positive correlations were also observed between negative religious coping and PTG and between positive religious coping and PTSD. The role of religious coping in the development of PTG and PTSD is discussed as well as clinical implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This study examined the role of religious, benefit finding, and goal-oriented meaning making strategies used by 111 young adults in response to their experience of personal loss. Death of a loved one and relationship loss were the two types of loss most frequently reported by participants. In general, young adults reported being affected by their loss experience, loss impacted their personal strivings and goals, and both religious and benefit finding strategies were used to derive meaning from loss. Religious, benefit finding, and goal-oriented meaning making strategies were differentially related to young adults’ reports of depressed mood and interpersonal loneliness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is an appealing but poorly understood construct. Hobfoll, Hall, Canetti-Nisim, Galea, Johnson, and Palmieri's (2007) insightful paper highlights important weaknesses in existing theory and data. Although we commend Hobfoll et al. for offering a provocative new way to conceptualise PTG in terms of action-focused growth, we also find a number of limitations in their approach. In this article, we attempt to place PTG within a broader framework of individual differences in response to potential trauma. As in most of the literature on PTG, Hobfoll et al. implicitly equate growth with resilience or view it as superior to resilient outcomes. We argue, however, that many if not most people are resilient in the face of trauma and that resilient outcomes typically provide little need or opportunity for PTG. We close by exploring the literature on resilience for possible mechanisms underlying a link between PTG and adaptation. For example, Hobfoll et al. dismiss some forms of reported growth as illusory. In contrast, we review evidence for the adaptive value of self-enhancing illusions in coping with adversity.
ABSTRACT—This article asserts that the theory of emerging adulthood is a useful way of conceptualizing the lives of people from their late teens to their mid- to late 20s in industrialized societies. The place of emerging adulthood within the adult life course is discussed. The weaknesses of previous terms for this age period are examined, and emerging adulthood is argued to be preferable as a new term for a new phenomenon. With respect to the question of whether emerging adulthood is experienced positively or negatively by most people, it is argued that it is positive for most people but entails developmental challenges that may be difficult and there is great heterogeneity, with some emerging adults experiencing serious problems. With respect to the question of whether or not emerging adulthood is good for society, it is argued that claims of the dangers of emerging adulthood are overblown, but emerging adulthood is probably a mixed blessing for society.
This study examined gender differences in stress symptoms and recovery one year after the end of war, among two Israeli samples
(adults n = 870 and adolescents n = 810). MANOVA analysis indicated that females reported higher levels of stress symptoms and lower levels of postwar recovery
compared to males. Adolescents reported lower levels of stress and higher levels of recovery compared to adults. Path analysis
supported the following: Gender associated negatively with family support and sense of danger. Sense of danger associated
positively with symptoms and negatively with recovery, while family support associated with these variables in the opposite
direction. Mediation test indicated that family support and sense of danger served as mediators between gender and recovery
and between gender and stress symptoms.
To present new estimates of the average lifetime costs per child maltreatment victim and aggregate lifetime costs for all new child maltreatment cases incurred in 2008 using an incidence-based approach.
This study used the best available secondary data to develop cost per case estimates. For each cost category, the paper used attributable costs whenever possible. For those categories that attributable cost data were not available, costs were estimated as the product of incremental effect of child maltreatment on a specific outcome multiplied by the estimated cost associated with that outcome. The estimate of the aggregate lifetime cost of child maltreatment in 2008 was obtained by multiplying per-victim lifetime cost estimates by the estimated cases of new child maltreatment in 2008.
The estimated average lifetime cost per victim of nonfatal child maltreatment is $210,012 in 2010 dollars, including $32,648 in childhood health care costs; $10,530 in adult medical costs; $144,360 in productivity losses; $7,728 in child welfare costs; $6,747 in criminal justice costs; and $7,999 in special education costs. The estimated average lifetime cost per death is $1,272,900, including $14,100 in medical costs and $1,258,800 in productivity losses. The total lifetime economic burden resulting from new cases of fatal and nonfatal child maltreatment in the United States in 2008 is approximately $124 billion. In sensitivity analysis, the total burden is estimated to be as large as $585 billion.
Compared with other health problems, the burden of child maltreatment is substantial, indicating the importance of prevention efforts to address the high prevalence of child maltreatment.
African American women are at high risk for sexual assault. In addition, many African American women endorse the use of social support and religiosity to cope with trauma. The current study investigates the relationship between these two coping strategies and posttrauma symptoms in a sample of 413 African American female sexual assault survivors using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings indicated that survivors with greater social support were less likely to endorse the symptoms of depression and PTSD. Conversely, increased use of religious coping was related to greater endorsement of depression and PTSD symptoms. Counseling and research implications are explored.
The Brief RCOPE is a 14-item measure of religious coping with major life stressors. As the most commonly used measure of religious coping in the literature, it has helped contribute to the growth of knowledge about the roles religion serves in the process of dealing with crisis, trauma, and transition. This paper reports on the development of the Brief RCOPE and its psychometric status. The scale developed out of Pargament’s (1997) program of theory and research on religious coping. The items themselves were generated through interviews with people experiencing major life stressors. Two overarching forms of religious coping, positive and negative, were articulated through factor analysis of the full RCOPE. Positive religious coping methods reflect a secure relationship with a transcendent force, a sense of spiritual connectedness with others, and a benevolent world view. Negative religious coping methods reflect underlying spiritual tensions and struggles within oneself, with others, and with the divine. Empirical studies document the internal consistency of the positive and negative subscales of the Brief RCOPE. Moreover, empirical studies provide support for the construct validity, predictive validity, and incremental validity of the subscales. The Negative Religious Coping subscale, in particular, has emerged as a robust predictor of health-related outcomes. Initial evidence suggests that the Brief RCOPE may be useful as an evaluative tool that is sensitive to the effects of psychological interventions. In short, the Brief RCOPE has demonstrated its utility as an instrument for research and practice in the psychology of religion and spirituality.
In this study an attempt was made to examine social support and coping in relation to resiliency among a sample of rural, low-income Appalachian adolescents of African-American and White races. Fifty-three African-American and 60 White 10th grade students completed the Perceived Social Support Scale for Family and Friends, the Ways of Coping Checklist, and Psychosocial Inventory of Ego Strengths. Utilizing regression analyses, it was shown that social support from family and problem-focused, avoidance, and wishful-thinking forms of coping significantly predicted resiliency. Race and gender distinctions were minimal in respect to the measured variables in the study. Research in the future should include continued examination of rural and diverse samples, the use of various sampling procedures, and longitudinal assessments of resiliency.
The authors investigated the extent to which social support and coping account for the association between greater optimism and better adjustment to stressful life events. College students of both genders completed measures of perceived stress, depression, friendship network size, and perceived social support at the beginning and end of their 1st semester of college. Coping was assessed at the end of the 1st semester. Greater optimism, assessed at the beginning of the 1st semester of college, was prospectively associated with smaller increases in stress and depression and greater increases in perceived social support (but not in friendship network size) over the course of the 1st semester of college. Mediational analyses were consistent with a model in which increases in social support and greater use of positive reinterpretation and growth contributed to the superior adjustment that optimists experienced.
Resilience may be viewed as a measure of stress coping ability and, as such, could be an important target of treatment in anxiety, depression, and stress reactions. We describe a new rating scale to assess resilience. The Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC) comprises of 25 items, each rated on a 5-point scale (0-4), with higher scores reflecting greater resilience. The scale was administered to subjects in the following groups: community sample, primary care outpatients, general psychiatric outpatients, clinical trial of generalized anxiety disorder, and two clinical trials of PTSD. The reliability, validity, and factor analytic structure of the scale were evaluated, and reference scores for study samples were calculated. Sensitivity to treatment effects was examined in subjects from the PTSD clinical trials. The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties and factor analysis yielded five factors. A repeated measures ANOVA showed that an increase in CD-RISC score was associated with greater improvement during treatment. Improvement in CD-RISC score was noted in proportion to overall clinical global improvement, with greatest increase noted in subjects with the highest global improvement and deterioration in CD-RISC score in those with minimal or no global improvement. The CD-RISC has sound psychometric properties and distinguishes between those with greater and lesser resilience. The scale demonstrates that resilience is modifiable and can improve with treatment, with greater improvement corresponding to higher levels of global improvement.
This study examined the prevalence and psychological sequelae of childhood sexual and physical abuse in adults from the general population.
A national sampling service generated a geographically stratified, random sample of 1,442 subjects from the United States. Subjects were mailed a questionnaire that included the Traumatic Events Survey (TES) [Traumatic Events Survey, Unpublished Psychological Test, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles] and the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) [Trauma Symptom Inventory Professional Manual, Psychological Assessment Resources, Odessa, FL]. Of all potential subjects, 935 (64.8%) returned substantially completed surveys.
Sixty-six men and 152 women (14.2% and 32.3%, respectively) reported childhood experiences that satisfied criteria for sexual abuse, and 103 males and 92 females (22.2% and 19.5%, respectively) met criteria for physical abuse. Twenty-one percent of subjects with one type of abuse also had experienced the other type, and both types were associated with subsequent adult victimization. After controlling for demographics, adult history of interpersonal violence, and other child abuse, childhood sexual abuse was associated with all 10 scales of the TSI, and physical abuse was related to all TSI scales except those tapping sexual issues. Sexual abuse predicted more symptom variance than did physical abuse or adult interpersonal victimization. Various aspects of both physical and sexual abuse experiences were predictive of TSI scores. Abuser sex, however, both alone and in interaction with victim sex, was not associated with additional TSI symptomatology.
Childhood sexual and physical abuse is relatively common in the general population, and is associated with a wide variety of psychological symptoms. These relationships remain even after controlling for relevant background variables.
Many people are exposed to loss or potentially traumatic events at some point in their lives, and yet they continue to have positive emotional experiences and show only minor and transient disruptions in their ability to function. Unfortunately, because much of psychology's knowledge about how adults cope with loss or trauma has come from individuals who sought treatment or exhibited great distress, loss and trauma theorists have often viewed this type of resilience as either rare or pathological. The author challenges these assumptions by reviewing evidence that resilience represents a distinct trajectory from the process of recovery, that resilience in the face of loss or potential trauma is more common than is often believed, and that there are multiple and sometimes unexpected pathways to resilience.
The author discusses 3 variables that assess different aspects of social relationships—social support, social integration, and negative interaction. The author argues that all 3 are associated with health outcomes, that these variables each influence health through different mechanisms, and that associations between these variables and health are not spurious findings attributable to our personalities. This argument suggests a broader view of how to intervene in social networks to improve health. This includes facilitating both social integration and social support by creating and nurturing both close (strong) and peripheral (weak) ties within natural social networks and reducing opportunities for negative social interaction. Finally, the author emphasizes the necessity to understand more about who benefits most and least from social- connectedness interventions.
Positive psychology has flourished in the last 5 years. The authors review recent developments in the field, including books, meetings, courses, and conferences. They also discuss the newly created classification of character strengths and virtues, a positive complement to the various editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (e. g., American Psychiatric Association, 1994), and present some cross-cultural findings that suggest a surprising ubiquity of strengths and virtues. Finally, the authors focus on psychological interventions that increase individual happiness. In a 6-group, random-assignment, placebo-controlled Internet study, the authors tested 5 purported happiness interventions and 1 plausible control exercise. They found that 3 of the interventions lastingly increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms. Positive interventions can supplement traditional interventions that relieve suffering and may someday be the practical legacy of positive psychology.
An international mixed methods study of resilience of 14 sites in eleven countries identified seven tensions that youth resolve in culturally specific ways. Resolution of these tensions is foundational to experiences of resilience. This paper reports on the qualitative findings from interviews with 89 youth. Results support a culturally embedded understanding of positive youth development that better accounts for young people's resilience in western and non-western countries. Specifically, the seven tensions identified include: access to material resources, relationships, identity, cohesion, power and control, social justice, and cultural adherence. Findings show that no one pattern in the resolution of these tensions predicts resilience better than another. A case study of a Palestinian boy demonstrates the intersection of the seven tensions and the uniqueness of their resolution. The implications of this work for interventions is discussed.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and social support from family and friends in emerging adulthood. Emotion dysregulation was also investigated as a potential mediator underlying this relationship. Results indicated that childhood polyvictimization was significantly related to lower reports of social support from both family and friends. Emotion dysregulation was positively related to childhood polyvictimization, and negatively related to social support from family only. Additionally, emotion dysregulation partially mediated the relationship between childhood polyvictimization and support from family, suggesting that the ability to regulate one’s emotions could be particularly influential in family relationships. Results underscore the pervasive nature of childhood polyvictimization, and offer directions for intervention efforts targeted at emerging adults with polyvictimization histories.
As theories of bereavement have evolved, so too have evidence-based interventions to mitigate complications in post-loss adaptation. This article reviews one line of programmatic research grounded in a conceptualisation of grieving as an attempt to reaffirm or reconstruct a world of meaning challenged by loss. Anchored in therapeutic encounters with the bereaved, a meaning reconstruction approach to loss has grown over the past 15 years to generate an increasingly substantial research base, as well as to develop and refine a wide array of contributions to psychological assessment and therapy. By summarising the major models, measures and methods resulting from this collaborative work, it offers an introduction to meaning reconstruction for those unfamiliar with it, noting its contributions to date, its areas of future development, and its relevance for clinical practice.
This article describes the concept of posttraumatic growth, its conceptual foundations, and supporting empirical evidence. Posttraumatic growth is the experience of positive change that occurs as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life crises. It is manifested in a variety of ways, including an increased appreciation for life in general, more meaningful interpersonal relationships, an increased sense of personal strength, changed priorities, and a richer existential and spiritual life. Although the term is new, the idea that great good can come from great suffering is ancient. We propose a model for understanding the process of posttraumatic growth in which individual characteristics, support and disclosure, and more centrally, significant cognitive processing involving cognitive structures threatened or nullified by the traumatic events, play an important role. It is also suggested that posttraumatic growth mutually interacts with life wisdom and the development of the life narrative, and that it is an on-going process, not a static outcome.
We explore the role of spirituality in the current adjustment of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). A sample of 101 men and women survivors of CSA completed questionnaires on spirituality (relationship with God or higher power), person factors (blame attributions, self-acceptance, hope), and current adjustment (mood, personal growth, resolution of the abuse). Results indicated that relationship with a benevolent God or higher power is related to the experience of less negative mood and a greater sense of personal growth and resolution of the abuse. Also, relationship with a higher power is related to other person factors such as self-acceptance and hope. Relationship with a benevolent God appears to have an indirect link to depressive mood and resolution of abuse through the mediating pathways of hope and self-acceptance. In contrast, relationship with God appears to have a more direct association to the outcome of personal growth for these survivors.
This meta-analytic review examines the role of optimism, social support, and coping strategies in contributing to posttraumatic growth. Results from 103 studies showed that all three systems of variables yielded significant effect sizes. Religious coping and positive reappraisal coping produced the largest effect sizes. Social support, seeking social support coping, spirituality, and optimism were moderately related to posttraumatic growth. Acceptance coping yielded the smallest effect sizes. Moderator analyses showed that effect sizes did not differ according to time elapsed since trauma, gender, and type of posttraumatic growth measure (posttraumatic growth vs. benefit finding). Age and gender were significant moderators of religious coping, whereas study design (longitudinal vs. cross-sectional) significantly moderated the effect of positive reappraisal coping. Implications for research and interventions on posttraumatic growth are also discussed.
This study attempted to identify positive and negative patterns of religious coping methods, develop a brief measure of these religious coping patterns, and examine their implications for health and adjustment. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. positive and negative religious coping patterns were identified in samples of people coping with the Oklahoma City bombing, college students coping with major life stressors, and elderly hospitalized patients coping with serious medical illnesses. A 14-item measure of positive and negative patterns of religious coping methods (Brief RCOPE) was constructed. The positive pattern consisted of religious forgiveness, seeking spiritual support, collaborative religious coping, spiritual connection, religious purification, and benevolent religious reappraisal. The negative pattern was defined by spiritual discontent, punishing God reappraisals, interpersonal religious discontent. demonic reappraisal, and reappraisal of God's powers. As predicted, people made more use of the positive than the negative religious coping methods. Furthermore, the two patterns had different implications for health and adjustment. The Brief RCOPE offers an efficient, theoretically meaningful way to integrate religious dimensions into models and studies of stress, coping, and health.
This chapter examines the relationship between traumatic stress in childhood and the leading causes of morbidity, mortality and disability in the USA: cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, chronic liver disease, depression and other forms of mental illness, obesity, smoking and alcohol and drug abuse. The essence of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study has been to match retrospectively, approximately a half century after the fact, an individual's current state of health and well-being against adverse events in childhood. The chapter illustrates with a sampling from the findings in the ACE Study, the long-lasting, strongly proportionate and often profound relationship between adverse childhood experiences and important categories of emotional state, health risks, disease burden, sexual behavior, disability, and healthcare costs. Biomedical disease in adults had a significant relationship to adverse life experiences in childhood in the ACE Study.
The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new theoretically based measure that would assess the full range of religious coping methods, including potentially helpful and harmful religious expressions. The RCOPE was tested on a large sample of college students who were coping with a significant negative life event. Factor analysis of the RCOPE in the college sample yielded factors largely consistent with the conceptualization and construction of the subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis of the RCOPE in a large sample of hospitalized elderly patients was moderately supportive of the initial factor structure. Results of regression analyses showed that religious coping accounted for significant unique variance in measures of adjustment (stress-related growth, religious outcome, physical health, mental health, and emotional distress) after controlling for the effects of demographics and global religious measures (frequency of prayer, church attendance, and religious salience). Better adjustment was related to a number of coping methods, such as benevolent religious reappraisals, religious forgiveness/purification, and seeking religious support. Poorer adjustment was associated with reappraisals of God's powers, spiritual discontent, and punishing God reappraisals. The results suggest that the RCOPE may be useful to researchers and practitioners interested in a comprehensive assessment of religious coping and in a more complete integration of religious and spiritual dimensions in the process of counseling. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 56: 519–543, 2000.
The chapter begins with a detailed expression of resilience that defines it as a set of behaviors over time that depends on
the opportunities that are available and accessible to individuals, their families, and communities. Building on the research
of other scholars and the Resilience Research Centre (Dalhousie University), the author shows the importance of understanding
resilience as a contextually and culturally embedded construct and the need to capture what people mean when they say “doing
well when facing adversity.”
The development of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, an instrument for assessing positive outcomes reported by persons who have experienced traumatic events, is described. This 21-item scale includes factors of New Possibilities, Relating to Others, Personal Strength, Spiritual Change, and Appreciation of Life. Women tend to report more benefits than do men, and persons who have experienced traumatic events report more positive change than do persons who have not experienced extraordinary events. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory is modestly related to optimism and extraversion. The scale appears to have utility in determining how successful individuals, coping with the aftermath of trauma, are in reconstructing or strengthening their perceptions of self, others, and the meaning of events.
In this study, we examined the role of dispositional optimism in mediating distress among students who experienced traumatic
events, including child physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Participants included 199 undergraduate and graduate
students (aged 18–63years) from a private university in Oregon. In this study, dispositional optimism partially mediated
distress among individuals who had experienced child physical abuse and child emotional abuse; participants with higher levels
of optimism had lower levels of distress. In addition, dispositional optimism fully mediated distress among individuals who
had experienced traumatic events such as rape, assault, and fire; participants with higher levels of optimism had lower levels
of distress. Contrary to prediction, the experience of child sexual abuse was not associated with distress. Clinical implications
of these results are addressed.