Focusing manner and posttraumatic growth

The ability to derive growth from a traumatic event, such as a cancer diagnosis, can facilitate effective adaptation to the challenges associated with cancer survivorship. In two studies, we investigated the possible cognitive mechanisms explaining the relationship between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth in female survivors of breast cancer. Specifically, Study 1 examined the role of interpretation bias, and Study 2 examined the role of cognitive restructuring of trauma. In Study 1, 113 participants completed questionnaires assessing stress- and anxiety-related symptomatology, post-traumatic stress and growth, perceived cognitive functioning, and positive interpretation bias. In Study 2, 117 participants completed questionnaires assessing stress and anxiety-related symptoms, rumination, perceived cognitive functioning, cognitive restructuring of trauma, and post-traumatic stress and growth. In both studies, post-traumatic stress was negatively related to post-traumatic growth. In Study 1, positive interpretation bias explained a significant amount of variance in the relationship between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth, with perceived cognitive functioning moderating the relationship between interpretation bias and post-traumatic growth. In Study 2, cognitive restructuring explained a significant amount of variance in the relationship between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth, with deliberate rumination moderating the effects of cognitive restructuring on post-traumatic growth. Cognitive mechanisms are key to understanding the relationship between post-traumatic stress and growth and should be targeted in interventions to improve cognitive flexibility and resilience among breast cancer survivors.

Knowledge of longitudinal changes in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) may help survivors recover better. Yet, researchers dispute the population-based typologies of PTSD and PTG as well as the temporal transition between these subpopulations across time, especially among adolescents. Thus, the transition pattern still needs further research. Besides, parent-child factors (parenting styles, parent-child cohesion, and parental attachment styles) may influence the transition, but it keeps unclear. In the study, we aimed to solve these questions. A three-wave investigation was conducted among 620 adolescents, 12 months, 21 months, and 27 months, after the Jiuzhaigou earthquake by using self-report measures on PTSD, PTG, and parent-child factors at the three time points. Finally, 339 of them finished the three-wave investigation. Latent profile analysis models showed that three heterogeneous classes of PTSD and PTG existed across time: low-affected (low-level PTSD and PTG), thriving (low-level PTSD but high-level PTG), and struggling (high-level PTSD and PTG) groups. Random intercept latent transition analysis model suggested that samples mainly stayed in the original classes across time, with three main transitional paths: from struggling group to thriving group, from thriving group to low-affected group, and from low-affected group to struggling group. Besides, the study also found that parental rejection, overprotection, and anxious attachment were the possible factors that kept the stability of the struggling group. Parent-child cohesion increased the stability of the thriving group across time. Anxious attachment may worsen PTSD among adolescents and lower the stability of low-affected groups across time. Coexisting and transitional patterns exist in PTSD and PTG across time. Wrong parenting styles and insecure attachments can exacerbate PTSD symptoms and diminish adolescents' resilience, but parent-child cohesion can facilitate their growth after trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

It has been suggested that while some individuals undergo growth following traumatic experiences, others do not. This study investigates the correlation between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the development of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among Syrian refugees. Participants were asked to complete the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and sociodemographic questions. A total of 356 participants (77.5% females with mean age 24.3 ± 7.3 years) filled out the questionnaires. The results of logistic regression demonstrated that there is a strong correlation between PTSD and PTG. Individuals who suffer from PTSD are more likely to experience and benefit from PTG (OR = 29.1; 95% CI [3.9, 215.8]). It is essential that communities and organizations recognize these problems, work to support PTG, and offer comprehensive mental health care to those affected by war and the stresses that accompany it. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Background Almost 7.2%-10.6% of patients survive CPR in Iran. Most of them experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic growth (PTG). There are limited studies to assessing the correlation between these two psychological outcomes among CPR survivors. Objective This study aimed to examine the correlation between PTSD and PTG among CPR survivors in South-East Iran. Subjects Using Quota sampling, 163 CPR survivors in two provinces in the South-East of Iran were selected to participate in this study. Method A descriptive-correlational study was used to fulfill the aim of the study. The impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) for assessing PTSD and Post-traumatic growth questionnaires were used to assess PTG. Results The mean score of PTSD was 39.89 and according to the cutoff point, 87.1% of participants suffered from PTSD. The mean score of PTG was 78.6. PTSD and PTG had significant negative correlation. The result of multi-variate logistic regression showed that only the PTG score predicted PTSD (Odds ratio = 0.79, CI = 0.72-0.87; and p < 0.001). The result of multi-variate linear regression indicated that PTSD, time passed since CPR, and physical disability caused by CPR predicted PTG score significantly. Conclusion This study provides CPR survivors and health care personnel with some valuable insights about cultural aspects of PTSD and PTG among CPR survivors and that PTG is positively influenced by physical disability and time passed since CPR. CPR survivors may gain positive experience and valuable insight in group meetings and discussions with their counterparts.

Purpose: The development of post-traumatic growth was studied longitudinally within 14 months poststroke. The predictions of two models of post-traumatic growth were examined.Method: Forty-three stroke survivors were investigated at two time points (i.e., time 1 and time 2), six months apart. Each completed the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory, Rumination Scale, Impact of Events Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Social Support, the Barthel Index and the COPE scale.Results: Post-traumatic growth was evident four to five months after stroke, increasing significantly over the next six months at which point levels resembled those reported in cross-sectional stroke studies. Active and denial coping and rumination at time 1 were positively associated, and age was negatively associated, with post-traumatic growth at time 2, but acceptance coping was not associated. Neither active coping nor rumination mediated the effect of social support on post-traumatic growth as predicted. As predicted, rumination mediated the relationship between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth. Exploratory stepwise regression demonstrated rumination and active coping at time 1 accounted for 45% of variance in post-traumatic growth at time 2.Conclusions: Post-traumatic growth can develop soon after stroke. Deliberate rumination is a key factor in post-traumatic growth. Both active coping and denial coping were associated with post-traumatic growth demonstrating the psychological complexity of poststroke adjustment.Implications for rehabilitationTherapists can expect stroke survivors to show post-traumatic growth in the first months after stroke.Therapists should look to promote post-traumatic growth and positive adjustment through working with survivors to increase active coping (attempts to deal effectively with the impact of stroke) and rumination (cognitive processing of the impact of the stroke).Since denial coping was also associated with posttraumatic growth, stroke survivors who maintain overly optimistic views about the severity and impact of their stroke are likely to benefit from therapists continually facilitating capacity for growth and well-being.

Conversion practices aim to suppress or change minority gender identity or sexual orientations to cisgender and heterosexual. They are ineffective at achieving these goals and instead cause harm to those who experience them. Conversion practices may lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prior research has shown that posttraumatic growth – the positive psychological changes that can arise after exposure to a traumatic event – may account for the absence of PTSD symptoms. The present study investigated if posttraumatic growth mediates the relationship between exposure to conversion practices and PSTD symptomatology. It was hypothesised that conversion practices would predict PTSD and posttraumatic growth, and that posttraumatic growth would mediate the relationship between conversion practices and PTSD symptomatology. Notably, we disentangled formal conversion practices (e.g., psychotherapy) from informal conversion practices (e.g. prayer from religious leaders). Participants were 238 Australian adult LGBTQA+ survivors of conversion practices. In multiple regression, both formal and informal conversion practices were related to PTSD (although informal practices were a better predictor). Both formal and informal practices significantly predicted posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth mediated the relationship between PTSD and informal conversion practices, but not formal practices. The current study suggests that promoting posttraumatic growth may help to alleviate PTSD following conversion practices.

Relation between parental psychopathology and posttraumatic growth after a child's admission to intensive care: Two faces of the same coin?

Background: Although previous research has demonstrated that fear and guilt have an effect on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is still unclear how these two emotions affect posttraumatic growth (PTG). Moreover, few studies have examined the mechanisms by which fear and guilt affect PTSD and PTG. Guided by Lee et al.’s theory of PTSD generation mechanisms and Calhoun and Tedeschi’s PTG theory, the current study proposes that intrusive rumination (IR) and deliberate rumination (DR) may play a mediating role in the effects of guilt and fear on PTSD and PTG. Objective: This study aimed to simultaneously examine the mediating roles of IR and DR in the relationship between fear, guilt, PTSD, and PTG. Method: This study employed a two-wave longitudinal design. A total of 408 adolescent survivors were assessed using self-report questionnaires after the Ya’an earthquake in China. Measures were obtained for trauma exposure, subjective fear, survivor guilt, IR, and DR at three and a half years after the Ya’an earthquake (Time 1), while PTSD and PTG were assessed at time point four and a half years after the Ya’an earthquake (Time 2). Results: The results showed that both fear and guilt had a direct and positive effect on PTSD and PTG. Fear and guilt were positive predictors of PTSD and negative predictors of PTG through the mediating variable of IR. DR mediated the relationship between guilt and PTG but not PTSD, and also mediated the relationship between IR and PTG. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that fear, guilt, and intrusive rumination may contribute to PTSD symptoms in adolescent trauma survivors. Results also suggest that adolescent survivors can grow emotionally and psychologically following traumatic events, and that directed rumination may contribute to such growth. Interventions that reduce fear, guilt, and intrusive rumination while increasing directed rumination may assist adolescent trauma survivors in recovery and growth.

Pediatric cancer can be considered an event potentially leading to posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) as well as posttraumatic growth (PTG). While clinically significant levels of PTSS are rare in childhood cancer survivors, PTG is common in this population. However, the relationship of PTG to overall adaptation and quality of life (QOL) in pediatric cancer patients is not clear. Therefore, our study aims to analyse the relationships of PTSS and PTG with QOL in childhood cancer survivors. In this study, 172 childhood cancer survivors completed measures of quality of life (Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life Scale; child and adolescent version), posttraumatic stress (UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DMS-IV) and posttraumatic growth (Benefit Finding Scale for Children). Correlation analyses were carried out separately for the child (up to 13 years, N = 47) and adolescent (more than 13 years, N = 125) groups and each QOL dimension. In the adolescent group, the relationship of PTSS and PTG with QOL was further verified by regression analyses while controlling for age, gender, and time off treatment. In children, negative relationships between PTSS and QOL were found, but the relationships between QOL and PTG were not significant. In adolescents, significant relationships were found for all dimensions of QOL and PTSS and also for several dimensions of QOL and PTG. The relationships between PTSS and QOL dimensions were negative in both groups, and the relationships between PTG and QOL in the adolescent group were weakly positive. In adolescents, regression analyses controlling for age, gender and time off treatment were performed and confirmed a negative relationship of PTSS with all QOL dimensions except for social functioning. For PTG, regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship with QOL dimensions of social functioning, outlook on life and intimate relations. While the relationship between PTSS and QOL is negative for almost all QOL dimensions in children and adolescents, the nature of the relationship between PTG and QOL appears to be more complex and changing over time. PTG in children may reflect different processes with different outcomes than PTG in adolescents.

ABSTRACTBackground and objective: Although posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) can co-exist, and several theories suggest that social support, self-esteem, and hope can predict both PTSD and PTG, no study to date has examined the combined role of social support, self-esteem, and hope in PTSD and PTG. The present study aimed to simultaneously examine the mediating roles of self-esteem and hope in the relations between social support and PTSD, and between social support and PTG.Design: This study included 397 adolescents living in Lushan County, China, who were affected by the Ya’an earthquake.Method: The participants completed the self-report questionnaires at two and a half years after the earthquake. Structural equation models were built to examine the roles of social support, self-esteem, and hope in PTSD and PTG.Results: Social support directly and negatively predicted PTSD and positively predicted PTG. Moreover, social support negatively predicted PTSD via self-esteem, and positively predicted PTG via hope. In addition, social support positively predicted PTG through multiple mediating paths from self-esteem to hope.Conclusions: PTSD and PTG had different predictive paths. Specifically, social support reduced PTSD through enhanced self-esteem and promoted PTG through hope, or through the path from self-esteem to hope.

Contemporary models of trauma suggest that posttraumatic stress and growth should be related and that symptoms of stress resulting from a perceived trauma (e.g., childhood cancer) are prerequisite for posttraumatic growth (PTG) to occur. However, empirical data regarding the relationship of posttraumatic stress and growth have been equivocal. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and PTG among adult survivors of childhood cancer. Survey methods were used to collect data from 6,162 survivors participating in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). Nonparametric correlation was examined pairwise between PTG and PTSS using Spearman's correlation coefficient with 95% confidence intervals, with nonlinear canonical correlation analysis being conducted to examine relationships between subscales. A multivariable partial proportional odds model was also fit for PTG total quartiles focusing on associations with PTSS total quartiles while adjusting for sociodemographic and medical variables. Examination of unadjusted PTSS and PTG total scores revealed a Spearman correlation of 0.11 (p < .001), with coefficients ranging from 0.03 to 0.17 between total and subscale scores. The nonlinear canonical correlation analyses resulted in two dimensions with eigenvalues of 0.15 and 0.14, resulting in a fit value of 0.30 and evidence that little variability in the data (15%) was explained by the weighted combinations of the variables. Although statistically significant, these results do not indicate a robust relationship between PTSS and PTG among adult survivors of childhood cancer. Theories suggesting that PTSS is a prerequisite for PTG should be reconsidered.

How does parent–child communication affects posttraumatic stress disorder and growth in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic? The mediating roles of self-compassion and disclosure

This study examined posttraumatic stress (PTS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among 226 Tibetan refugees across two generations. Additional objectives were to (i) examine the sex and generation differences on the scores of trauma, PTS, and PTG, (ii) explore the relationship between traumatic experiences, PTS and PTG, and (iii) investigate the mediating effect of cognitive-emotional regulation strategies between the traumatic experiences and PTS as well as PTG. Females scored higher on trauma, PTS, and PTG. The trauma, PTS, and PTG scores of the two generations were significantly different. Acceptance and putting into perspective partially mediated the relationship between traumatic experience and PTS. Positive refocusing, refocus on planning, putting into perspective, and catastrophisizing partially mediated the relationship between traumatic experiences and PTG.

Exploring curvilinear and reciprocal relationships between posttraumatic stress and growth in adolescents and mothers following a major earthquake.

A growing body of theoretical and empirical work suggests that mindfulness may support more positive posttraumatic outcomes by reducing posttraumatic stress (PTS) and encouraging posttraumatic growth (PTG). Positive reappraisal (PR), a cognitive coping correlate of dispositional mindfulness (DM) has also been linked with greater PTG. However, neither DM nor PR have been modeled in relation to core posttraumatic constructs such as core belief disruption, intrusive rumination, deliberate rumination, PTS and PTG. This study explored associations between these constructs in a sample of college students (N = 505), also investigating the impact of contemplative practice involvement on the relationships between the constructs. Results indicate that including DM and PR into established models of PTG increases the model's explanatory power, which distinct cognitive coping pathways connect DM and core belief disruption with PTS as well as PTG, and that contemplative practice involvement substantially alters relationships between the core PTG variables. The present study contributes to the growing reconceptualization of trauma as linked with both positive and pathogenic outcomes, emphasizing the need to better understand how posttraumatic cognitive coping strategies contribute to more positive outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record