Does event centrality mediate the effect of peritraumatic reactions on post-traumatic growth in survivors of a terrorist attack?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background While self-reported post-traumatic growth (PTG) has been documented after a wide variety of potentially traumatic experiences, we need more knowledge on the mechanisms behind PTG to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon. Objective We aimed to investigate the hypothesized mechanism of perceived event centrality as a mediator on the pathway between peritraumatic reactions and later PTG. Method In total, 204 survivors of the 2011 massacre on Utøya island, participated 4–5 months (T1), 14–15 months (T2), and 30–32 months (T3) post-terror. We applied counterfactually based causal mediation analysis to explore the potential mediating role of survivors’ perceived centrality (T2) in linking their peritraumatic reactions (T1) and self-reported PTG (T3). Results The vast majority of the survivors reported experiencing some positive changes post-terror, and we found a positive, significant association between survivor’s peritraumatic reactions, perceived event centrality and self-reported growth. However, we did not find that centrality significantly mediated the longitudinal association between peritraumatic reactions and later PTG. Conclusion Reports of PTG are common post-terror, and peritraumatic reactions and perceptions of centrality may help explain individual differences in trauma survivors’ level of PTG. Perceived event centrality about one year post-trauma does not appear to explain the relationship between initial reactions to trauma and subsequent PTG.