Healthcare workers (HCWs) are continuously exposed to stress and potentially traumatic experiences, as during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to investigate the correlates and predictors of Post-traumatic growth (PTG), a positive outcome following adversity, in a group of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional design. The sample included 168 HCWs (almost 43% were nurses working in hospitals or aging facilities) who were assessed with the PTG Inventory (PTGI) and other indicators of psychological distress (DASS-21) and well-being such as the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (MHC-SF), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Regression analyses were calculated to evaluate the relationships among variables. PTG Inventory positively correlated with SWLS (r = 0.256, p < 0.001) and MHC (r = 0.315, p < 0.001), but no correlations with anxiety and depression emerged. Female gender (β = 0.248, p = 0.001), COVID-19 infection (β = 0.222, p = 0.003), and MHC Total score (β = 0.294, p = 0.008) predicted PTGI. Additionally, a significant curvilinear U-shaped relationship existed between DASS-stress and PTGI levels (β = 0.541, p = 0.021), meaning that PTG was lower at a medium level of stress. During the pandemic PTGI in HCWs was more directly predicted by well-being indicators than distress. Prioritizing their well-being, especially in times of crises, could aid in managing stress and trauma in healthcare settings.

Building on a growing body of evidence addressing the impact of hearing lived experience stories, this study explored the experiences of individuals sharing stories at live storytelling events. The central aim was to better understand speakers' experiences and to consider what, if any, impact taking part in such events might have on their lives. The project benefited from a co-produced study design, following an interpretative phenomenological analysis framework. Eight participants shared their experiences in semi-structured interviews. Three superordinate themes were developed to explain their experiences: 'connecting with a sense of primal humanity', 'a path to cathartic transformation', and 'the fires of purpose'. These themes outlined experiences of connection with others, unburdening from shame, transforming sense of self, reframing experiences, and connecting with a newfound sense of purpose. Parallels are drawn with similar research, suggesting how this paper can extend current understanding of the experience and impact of storytelling. This includes identifying links between storytelling and trauma therapies, with conclusions drawn about storytelling events' potential to kick-start post-traumatic growth for speakers. This prompts consideration of the potential that community programmes and partnerships might have for affecting positive change.

The predictive factors for the posttraumatic growth of parents of burn children: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT Background Psychological distress associated with unresolved event memories is a primary motivator for seeking professional counselling and psychotherapy. Instinctive efforts to cope with such memories can perpetuate maladaptive rumination and negative self‐appraisals, particularly when events are central to identity. These posttraumatic cognitions can contribute to the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms. It is therefore important to identify accessible interventions to support adaptive resolution. Although self‐compassion has been linked to health and well‐being, its application to unresolved event memories has never been explored. Objective This study experimentally investigated the effects of a tailored self‐compassion writing exercise on posttraumatic cognitions related to unresolved events, with particular attention to the moderating role of event centrality to identity. Method Eighty‐eight undergraduate participants identified an unresolved event and rated its centrality to their identity and life story. Participants were randomly assigned to complete either a tailored self‐compassion writing task or a descriptive control task. All participants completed measures of posttraumatic cognitions, posttraumatic growth and psychological closure. Results For events rated as highly central to identity, the self‐compassion condition reported significantly lower posttraumatic cognitions relative to the control condition. No significant differences were observed for events low in centrality. High (vs. low) centrality events were also rated significantly higher on posttraumatic growth and lower on closure. Conclusion Findings offer preliminary support for the effectiveness of a brief self‐compassion writing intervention for highly central unresolved events. We discuss implications, future directions and applications for counselling and psychotherapy contexts.

This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of online self-compassion-based interventions and their impact on the outcomes of cancer patients. A comprehensive search was carried out in the Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Ovid, and SpringerLink databases without any year limitation until January 01, 2026. Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines were used for systematic review and reporting. RoB2 and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines were utilized to assess the risk of bias. Eight studies included in the systematic review were conducted between 2017 and 2025 in Australia, the USA, the Netherlands, China, and Türkiye. The self-compassion interventions applied in the studies included mindful self-compassion, self-compassion-focused writing, compassion mind training, and kindness interventions. Online self-compassion-based interventions have been found to increase patients' levels of self-compassion, mindfulness, body image appreciation, well-being, self-acceptance, posttraumatic growth, and positive affect while reduce their levels of self-criticism, social isolation, anxiety, stress, and depression, body image distress. Studies have shown the positive effects of self-compassion-based interventions on patient outcomes. A sensitivity analysis that included only randomized controlled trials demonstrated robustness in all outcomes except anxiety; however, some research results were obtained from a single randomized controlled trial. Since some study results were derived solely from quasi-experimental studies, they were not included in the analysis. Therefore, more randomized controlled research is required to integrate these interventions into clinical patient care. Online self-compassion interventions can contribute to the planning of holistic nursing interventions for patient outcomes.

Purpose Social participation and post-traumatic growth (PTG) both exert beneficial effects on well-being of patients receiving maintenance dialysis. However, the temporal directionality of their association has remained unexamined. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional, longitudinal relationship between PTG and social participation over 1-year period among patients receiving maintenance dialysis. Methods Research data were collected from patients receiving dialysis treatment for over 3 months at two tertiary hospitals in China. A total of 193 participants completed the baseline survey, and 147 completed the second-wave survey. Self-reported questionnaires were delivered to assess their PTG and social participation. Cross-lagged analysis was used to examine the possible relationship between PTG and social participation. Results After adjusting for confounding factors, a unidirectional linear relationship was observed: higher levels of PTG at baseline were associated with greater social participation over time (β = 0.290, 95% CI: 0.151–0.430, p < 0.001), whereas baseline social participation was not significantly associated with subsequent PTG. Conclusions This study revealed low levels of social participation among patients receiving maintenance dialysis. Based on the cross-lagged analysis, PTG appears to play a contributing role in improving social participation over time.

Influence of financial toxicity on posttraumatic growth in primary caregivers of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: the chain mediating effect of benefit finding and self-disclosure.

BACKGROUND Patients with brain tumors (BTs) are often accompanied by anxiety and depression, which are not conducive to improved clinical outcomes. AIM To investigate anxiety and depression in relation to sleep quality and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in patients with BTs and identified associated determinants. METHODS A total of 169 patients with BTs admitted between October 2022 and January 2025 were enrolled. Data on anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), and PTG was collected. Correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate associations between HADS subscales - HADS-Anxiety and HADS-Depression - and PSQI and PTG Inventory (PTGI) scores. Anxiety or depression-associated determinants were identified using univariate screening followed by binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Among the 169 patients with BTs, the prevalence of anxiety, depression, anxiety-depression comorbidity, and either anxiety or depression was 34.91%, 30.18%, 10.65%, and 54.44%, respectively. The four most PSQI dimensions were sleep latency, sleep duration, daytime dysfunction, and sleep quality. The mean PTGI score was 59.89 ± 8.83, with 47.93% of patients scoring &lt; 60. The correlation analysis demonstrated positive correlations between HADS-Anxiety and HADS-Depression scores and PSQI, and negative correlations with PTGI. Regression analysis showed that age, educational level, PSQI, and PTGI independently influenced anxiety or depression in patients with BTs. CONCLUSION Anxiety and depression in patients with BTs are closely associated with sleep quality and PTG. Age ≥ 50 years, high school education, and PTGI ≥ 60 exert protective effects against anxiety or depression, whereas PSQI ≥ 11 independently increases the risk.

Moral injury (MI) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) are critical psychological outcomes for healthcare workers who are frequently exposed to ethically challenging and traumatic situations. Thriving from work (TFW), characterized by vitality and learning at work, is proposed as a key contextual resource linking these constructs. The current cross-sectional study examined the mediating role of TFW in the relationship between MI and PTG among 4685 Chinese healthcare workers with an overall response rate of 36%. Measures included the Moral Injury Symptoms Scale-Health Professional (MISS-HP), Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF), and Thriving from Work Questionnaire (TFWQ). Correlation and mediation analyses revealed that TFW fully mediated the MI-PTG relationship, accounting for 91.67% of the total effect. MI negatively affected PTG by impairing TFW, while greater TFW reduced MI's adverse effects on PTG. These findings help to explain how healthcare professionals adapt to trauma in healthcare settings and suggest practical pathways to help safeguard healthcare workers' mental health through organizational and individual interventions targeting TFW.

Ukrainian citizens are exposed to war-associated trauma. While such exposure typically has negative consequences, reflected in the form of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it can also have positive ones, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG). These outcomes are influenced by various factors including rumination about traumatic experiences and personal resources such as spirituality. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between spirituality, rumination and the consequences of exposure to war trauma among Ukrainian citizens studying in Poland, reflected in the form of PTSD and PTG. The study included 152 Ukrainian students who had moved to Poland after the outbreak of war initiated by Russia. The group was aged 18-24years (M = 19.72, SD = 1.22), and the majority were female (73.7%). The participants completed a survey and four standardized measurement tools: the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), the posttraumatic growth inventory (PTGI-SF), the self-description questionnaire, and the event-related rumination inventory. Spirituality was positively correlated with PTG but not with PTSD. Intrusive rumination was positively associated with PTSD but not with PTG. Deliberate rumination was not correlated with PTSD but was associated with PTG; it also mediated the relationship between spirituality and PTG. To protect against PTSD and promote PTG, it is recommended to reduce intrusive rumination and encourage deliberate rumination among trauma-affected individuals. Developing spirituality is also beneficial.

Background: Graduate nursing students face unique challenges balancing the demands of school, work, and personal life, putting both their academic success and individual well-being at risk. Objectives: This study examined the impact of embedding Community Resiliency Model© training in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at a U.S. public university to determine the utility of and perceived need for resilience training in this population and measure student resilience, burnout, and posttraumatic growth. Methods: A quantitative, pre/post design was used to evaluate outcomes via surveys utilizing open-ended questions and three validated instruments before and following resilience training. Results: Among 98 students who participated, the training was described as good to excellent quality (95%) and most (85%) continued to use the skills learned. All students recommended that resilience training should be included in a DNP program. There were no statistically significant differences in measures of resilience, burnout, or posttraumatic growth. Conclusions: A holistic approach including building resilience is needed to appropriately support graduate nursing students. Implications for Nursing: Resilience training is essential to equip DNP students with the skills needed to navigate demands of personal and professional life while ensuring their own well-being and that of those they serve.

Men who have used violence against intimate partners remain an under-researched population, despite their potential to advance understanding of motivations and relational dynamics underlying such behavior. This study employed semi-structured interviews and interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine the lived experiences of five adult men with histories of partner violence. A superordinate theme, Chaotic Interpersonal and Systemic Relationships, encompassed five experiential themes describing volatile partnerships shaped by mutual vulnerabilities. Participants commonly reported trauma histories and/or antisocial traits influencing partner selection, with abuse experienced as bidirectional. Disillusionment emerged when participants perceived that the mutual nature of violence was unacknowledged, limiting their engagement in meaningful change. Although behavior change programs were often understood at a conceptual level, participants struggled to translate insight into sustained behavioral transformation. Consistent with post-traumatic growth theory, participants described developing greater personal responsibility and more constructive views of relationships over time. Greater systemic recognition of bidirectional violence, identified in the literature as a prevalent form of intimate partner violence, may strengthen the therapeutic alliance and support more nuanced etiological inquiry. Shifting systemic responses from deficit-based, gendered models toward strength-based approaches may better harness men’s capacity for more permanent positive psychological and behavioral change.

To date, much of the research in criminology and criminal justice maintains a focus on risk. Far less attention is given to the potential for and prediction of resilience among those who are justice-involved. This study explored the connection between strength-based factors and carceral resilience rooted in the resilience portfolio model (Hamby et al., 2018). The sample included 309 incarcerated individuals from three correctional facilities in Northeast Florida, with data collected through self-report measures and analyzed using random-effects panel regression models. Participants were either enrolled in a 6-week trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness program or assigned to a waitlist control group. Psychosocial strengths were key correlates of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among incarcerated individuals. Prayer, self-compassion, emotional awareness, and anger management were positively associated with PTG. Sleep quality emerged as a consistent correlate of PTG. Within this context, participation in a trauma-informed embodied mindfulness program was associated with higher PTG over time. The findings support the application of the resilience portfolio model in carceral contexts and highlight the potential of embodied, trauma-informed interventions to foster resilience. Implications include the need for holistic, strength-based programming in correctional settings and further exploration of embodied resilience. This research contributes to a growing body of literature emphasizing the capacity for healing among justice-involved populations. Understanding PTG in carceral settings can inform successful reentry and reintegration, as well as support prevention strategies and alternatives to incarceration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Correction: Development of a process model of posttraumatic growth in psychosis: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT This paper explores strength-based trauma-informed embodied mindfulness programming for justice-impacted individuals. Too frequently, the criminal legal process is focused on risk and punishment. Justice-involved people come to the system with significant trauma histories, and the criminal legal process itself can be traumatizing. Trauma-informed practice recognizes the trauma histories of justice-involved individuals as well as the potential for resilience. This paper examined the implementation of a trauma-informed embodied mindfulness curriculum using a mixed-methods design, drawing on approximately 10,000 paired pre-post class surveys and over 400 pre-post curriculum surveys, supported by 412 qualitative responses. The study found significant short-term and sustained benefits across specialty court, carceral, and behavioral health settings, with additional pre-post class gains observed among participants in reentry programs. Quantitative analyses indicated significant post-class reductions in pain and stress as well as improvements in mood. Pre- to post-curriculum measures demonstrated increases in posttraumatic growth, emotional awareness, emotional regulation, self-compassion, and mindfulness, with variation in outcomes across settings. Qualitative data reinforced these findings, demonstrating the presence of multidimensional psychosocial strengths among participants in all populations. Findings support the integration of trauma-informed, body-based practices in justice and behavioral health systems and propose an expansion of resilience theory to include embodied dimensions.

A Qualitative Meta-synthesis Describing the Psychosocial Impacts After Birth Trauma.

ABSTRACT An “Awareness Toolkit” for Alzheimer’s caregivers was developed, and this intervention provided Alzheimer’s-related education, community resources, and self-care strategies. The research aimed to determine the toolkit’s impact on caregivers’ perceived preparedness, burden, and posttraumatic growth. A total of 48 caregivers participated, randomly assigned to either an intervention group (i.e. received the Awareness Toolkit and case management services) or a control group. Measures of caregiver burden, preparedness for caregiving, and posttraumatic growth were obtained via the Zarit Caregiver Burden Assessment, the Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form, respectively. The results indicated a significant improvement in preparedness for caregivers in the intervention group compared to the control group. Additionally, female caregivers demonstrated a significantly higher level of posttraumatic growth than their male counterparts. The findings suggest that interventions like the Awareness Toolkit can be valuable in preparing caregivers for their role.

ABSTRACT Healthcare workers (HCWs) have experienced inordinate stress and trauma, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also been evident that HCWs have experienced posttraumatic growth (PTG), although the relationship between PTG and trauma symptoms is complex. This study aimed to examine PTG and its associations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, dissociation, and resilience in HCWs (n = 62) who voluntarily sought support from the Trauma Response Network UK during the first six months of the pandemic. The retrospective design involved bivariate correlations, multiple regression, and a mixed model approach. The study found HCWs experienced moderate PTG (m = 36.11, sd = 23.56), high PTSD (m = 41.58, sd = 17.69) and depression (m = 13.71, sd = 6.64), and low dissociation (m = 7.47, sd = 10.79). Greater PTG was associated with greater resilience (m = 18.17, sd = 8.18; r = 0.542) and lower PTSD (r = -0.265). PTSD was positively correlated with depression (r = 0.590) and dissociation (DES-II, r = 0.411). Results indicate self-referring HCWs showed positive adaptation to the trauma of COVID-19 reflected across multiple PTG domains. Therapists identified facilitating factors that medical organizations can use to enhance PTG in HCWs. Recommendations are made for staff policies that acknowledge growth as a process alongside support for ongoing distress. Longitudinal research is needed to trace PTG, resilience, and symptoms.

ABSTRACT The diagnosis, treatment, and side effects of breast cancer are often experienced as traumatic events that impact multiple aspects of a woman’s life. While many factors influence how individuals adapt to this trauma, the psychological variables contributing to post-traumatic growth (PTG) remain insufficiently explored. This study proposed a conceptual model in which self-actualization and ego strength predict PTG, with body image serving as a mediating factor. To evaluate this model, 182 Iranian women who had undergone mastectomy were recruited through convenience sampling. Participants completed the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, Body Image Scale, Ego Strength Scale, Short Index of Self-Actualization, and a demographic questionnaire. Data analysis revealed that body image significantly mediated the relationship between self-actualization, ego strength, and PTG. Structural equation modeling offered new insights into the mediating role of body image, providing a more nuanced understanding of the psychological processes underlying adaptation and growth, and contributing to the broader literature on PTG among breast cancer survivors.

ABSTRACT Background This study sought to understand the shared experiences of families impacted by postpartum psychosis. Methods Four couples were interviewed and shared how they have made sense of this traumatic experience together over time. Data was analysed using Dialogical Narrative Analysis. Interpretation of the findings is limited by the small sample size. Results Amongst this small group of white-British, heterosexual couples, increased empathy seems to develop towards others experiencing mental health difficulties following lived experience of postpartum psychosis. Some evidence of increased feelings of closeness and strength within relationships was found, but this was not consistent across the whole sample. Discussion These findings suggest potential value in implementing couple-based interventions within perinatal mental health services.