scholarly journals Examining Post traumatic Growth After a Natural Disaster: An Appreciative Inquiry

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-98
Author(s):  
Alyssa Powell ◽  
Kevan Lamm

With the frequency and intensity of natural disasters expected to increase as climate change persists, it is crucial for agricultural educators and extension agents around the world to develop the capacity to assist individuals in the wake of traumatic natural disasters. Data were collected in January 2019 and surveyed Georgia residents who they themselves, or someone they cared about, were affected by Hurricane Michael which occurred in October 2018. Data were measured using a modified version of Tedeschi and Calhoun’s (1996) 21-item posttraumatic growth inventory. Highest mean posttraumatic growth score was associated with the Relate to Others scale, while the lowest mean score was associated with the Appreciation of Life scale. Approximately 48% of respondents reported a large or very large change in their compassion for others and their appreciation of each day as a result of their traumatic experience. Female respondents scored higher than male respondents on all the posttraumatic growth factors. Significant differences at the .05 level between male and female mean posttraumatic growth scores were identified for five scale factors; personal strength; spiritual change; appreciation of life; and overall posttraumatic growth. These findings suggest females may be more adaptive to traumatic events and more likely to be receptive to the potential to perceive positive benefits resulting from traumatic experiences. An associated recommendation would be for agricultural educators and extension personnel to utilize the appreciative inquiry approach when assisting individuals recovering from natural disasters and other traumatic events. Keywords: posttraumatic growth; Hurricane Michael; natural disasters; appreciative inquiry

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (22) ◽  

Breast cancer is a traumatic experience. Those diagnosed with breast cancer often experience psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress. However, traumatic experiences do not only cause psychological symptoms, but also can lead to positive changes named as posttraumatic growth (PTG). In the present study, it was aimed to examine both the psychological symptom (depression, anxiety, stress) and PTG levels of women with breast cancer and the relationship of these variables with core beliefs challenge and rumination types. Sociodemographic and Cancer-Related Information Form, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Core Beliefs Inventory, and Event-Related Rumination Inventory were applied to 201 women with breast cancer diagnosis (Mage = 47.81, SD = 8.58), mediation relations of variables were examined with Process Macro. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the psychological symptom levels of the majority of the participants were low and their PTG levels were above medium. It was determined that core beliefs challenge positively predicted depression, anxiety, stress, and PTG. Intrusive rumination mediated the relationship between core beliefs challenge and depression, anxiety and stress; deliberate rumination mediated the relationship between core beliefs challenge and PTG. In other words, as the core belief challenge of the participants increase, both psychological symptom and PTG levels increase. In addition, those who use intrusive rumination experience more psychological symptom, and those who use deliberate rumination experience more PTG. The present study reveals the importance of cognitive processes in understanding the psychological symptoms and PTG in women with breast cancer. Keywords: Breast cancer, psychological symptom, posttraumatic growth, core belief challenge, event-related rumination


Psichologija ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 7-18
Author(s):  
Evaldas Kazlauskas ◽  
Irma Šimėnaitė ◽  
Danutė Gailienė

Potrauminis augimas yra teigiami psichologiniai padariniai po traumos, kurie pasireiškia savęs suvokimo, požiūrio į pasaulį ir tarpasmeninių santykių pokyčiais (Tedeschi and Calhoun, 1996). Pozityvūs procesai po traumos dar tik pradedami tyrinėti, todėl nėra žinoma, kokios yra potrauminio augimo (PTA), trauminio įvykio intensyvumo ir potrauminio streso sutrikimo (PTSS) sąsajos. Siekiant įvertinti ryšius tarp trauminės patirties ir PTSS bei PTA, buvo ištirti 104 studentiško amžiaus jaunuoliai, per savo gyvenimą patyrę bent vieną trauminį įvykį. Tako analizės modelis parodė, kad subjektyvus trauminės patirties intensyvumasyra veiksnys, reikšmingai prognozuojantis tiek PTSS, tiek PTA. Kuo reakcija į trauminį įvykį yra stipresnė, tuo labiau išreikšti PTSS ir PTA požymiai. Nustatytas nestiprus teigiamas ryšys tarp PTSS ir PTA parodė, kad, norėdami geriau suprasti, kaip jaučiasi asmenys po traumos, turime atsižvelgti ir į teigiamus (PTA), ir į neigiamus (PTSS) traumos padarinius. Pagrindiniai žodžiai: trauma, potrauminis stresas, potrauminis augimas.RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAUMA EXPOSURE, POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDEREvaldas Kazlauskas, Irma Šimėnaitė, Danutė Gailienė SummaryObjectives: The notion that traumatic experiences may have an impact on human mind is very old. Recent developments in psychotraumatology shifted the approach to a trauma from a purely negative to a more positive perspective. Research confirmed that traumatic events may lead not only to posttraumatic stress or other disorders, but also to positive changes. The present research was based on the concept of Posttraumatic Growth developed by Calhoun and Tedeschi (1996), which is widely known in the field of traumatic stress. Although the number of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) research is growing rapidly, little is known about Posttraumatic Growth predictors. The present research was designed to find out the links between Posttraumatic Growth, Posttraumatic Stress and initial reactions to the traumatic event. We set up two goals of the study: 1) evaluation of how initial traumatic reactions predict PTG, and 2) assessment of links between PTG and PTSD.Methods: A group of 104 university students exposed to at least one life-time traumatic event participated in the study. The average time gap between exposure to a traumatic event and the time of research was 43 months. The intensity of initial reactions to a traumatic event was measured using a 10-item selfrating inventory developed by the authors of the present study. The Subjective Traumatic Experience (STE) inventory consisted of items covering cognitive, emotional and physiological reactions to a traumatic event. Posttraumatic Growth was measured using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PGI) developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996). Previous research showed satisfactory psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of PGI (Gailienë & Kazlauskas, 2005). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was measured using the Lithuanian version of Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R). A recent validation of the IES-R on Lithuanian population showed its good psychometric properties (Kazlauskas et al., 2006).


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Ogińska-Bulik ◽  
Magdalena Zadworna-Cieślak

Abstract Objective: Studies concerning the importance of spirituality on the negative and positive effects of traumatic experiences are very rare. Our study attempts to determine the role of spirituality in posttraumatic stress disorders, approached as a negative result of facing traumatic events, and profiting from such experiences in the form of posttraumatic growth. Method: The study covered 116 emergency service workers (only men), including 43 firefighters (37.1%), 43 police officers (37.1%) and 30 paramedics (25.8%), who experienced a traumatic event in their line of work. Those surveyed were between 21 and 57 years of age (M = 35.28; SD = 8.13). The Impact of Event Scale was used to assess the negative effects of traumatic experience, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for assessing the positive effects. Spirituality was measured using the Selfdescription Questionnaire. Results: 61.2% of the workers displayed at least moderate symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, whereas 38.8% displayed low intensity symptoms. Taking into consideration the positive effects of experienced traumatic events, it was discovered that almost 40% of those surveyed displayed low levels of posttraumatic growth, 34.5% average and 25.8% high. Correlation analysis was been performed to establish the relation between spirituality and posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth predictors were determined. Conclusions: Study results show that spirituality is not related to the intensification of posttraumatic stress symptoms, whereas it contributes to positive posttraumatic changes. Among different aspects of spirituality, harmony plays a major role.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Gebrande

You may be faced with the consequences of traumatic events in many fields of social work: child maltreatment, physical, psychic or sexual abuse, accidents, natural disasters, wars and fleeings and many other shattering events are shaping the experiences of many clients. In this textbook the basics of psychotraumatology, concepts of trauma-related counselling and pedagogy as well as ideas of self-care are provided in a clearly arranged and comprehensible way. It presents helpful suggestions to students and social workers on how to interact with people after traumatic experiences. If you like to learn methods and get to know materials for stabilisation that improves the coping and recovery for kids, youth and adults in the daily life, this book is written for you. Julia Gebrande is professor for social work studies after she gained a varied experience in dealing with trauma as a social worker.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorota Frydecka ◽  
Błażej Misiak ◽  
Kamila Kotowicz ◽  
Renata Pionke ◽  
Martyna Krężołek ◽  
...  

Abstract Background. Childhood traumatic events are risk factors for psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). However, the mechanisms explaining how trauma may contribute to the development of PLEs are not fully understood. In our study, we investigated whether cannabis use and cognitive biases mediate the relationship between early trauma and PLEs. Methods. A total sample of 6,772 young adults (age 26.6 ± 4.7, 2,181 male and 3,433 female) was recruited from the general population to participate in an online survey. We excluded 1,158 individuals due to a self-reported lifetime diagnosis of any mental disorder. The online survey included selected items from the following questionnaires: Traumatic Experience Checklist (TEC, 3 items), Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA.Q, 3 items), Cannabis Problems Questionnaire (CPQ, 10 items), Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS-18, 9 items), and Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16). Mediation analyses were performed with respect to different categories of traumatic experiences (emotional, physical and sexual abuse as well as emotional neglect). Results. Our results showed significant associations of any time of childhood trauma with higher scores of cannabis use (CPQ), cognitive biases (DACOBS), and PLEs (PQ-16) (p < 0.001). We found a direct effect of childhood trauma on PLEs as well as significant indirect effect mediated through cannabis use and cognitive biases. All models tested for the effects of specific childhood adversities revealed similar results. The percentage of variance in PQ-16 scores explained by serial mediation models varied between 32.8 and 34.2% depending on childhood trauma category. Conclusion. Cannabis use and cognitive biases play an important mediating role in the relationship between childhood traumatic events and the development of PLEs in a nonclinical young adult population.


1998 ◽  
Vol 172 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrison G. Pope ◽  
James I. Hudson ◽  
J. Alexander Bodkin ◽  
Paul Oliva

BackgroundWe reviewed evidence from prospective studies to test whether individuals can develop amnesia for traumatic experiences, a process variously termed ‘repression’, dissociative amnesia’ or ‘psychogenic amnesia’.MethodUsing specified criteria, we selected and analysed studies which prospectively assessed memory in victims of documented traumatic experiences.ResultsIn studies in which people were asked directly about a past traumatic experience, they consistently reported memories. Non-reporting occurred only in studies where subjects were not asked directly about the experience. This latter design leaves open the well-documented possibility that subjects simply did not disclose events that they actually remembered. Some prospective studies were also limited by incomplete documentation of trauma and failure to rule out other more ordinary causes of amnesia.ConclusionsProspective data as yet fail to demonstrate that individuals can develop dissociative amnesia for traumatic events.


2020 ◽  
pp. 088626051989842
Author(s):  
Kayla M. Hoskins ◽  
Merry Morash

The many court-involved women who have experienced trauma in their lifetimes are particularly vulnerable to the negative outcomes of trauma. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry is to understand how women who have repeatedly broken the law incorporate traumatic experiences into their identities in such a way that they increase their agency, communion, or spirituality. The research also documents the types of traumatic experiences the women included in their life stories. Informed by narrative identity theory and the related theory of posttraumatic growth, the life stories of 118 women on probation and parole were examined for themes indicative of identity transformation through redemption or indicative of contamination and stagnation. The narrative accounts considered in this study involved sexual, physical, and psychological abuse; neglect; sudden or unexpected loss; violence exposure; and severe illness or injury. Nearly all women reported having at least one traumatic experience in their lifetime, and the majority incorporated the experiences into their identities. Posttraumatic growth most often included gains in communion (i.e., helping others and caring for others) and gains in individual agency (i.e., empowerment). Thirty women also described having generative concerns or taking generative actions to improve the well-being of others as an outcome of their traumatic experience(s). For women with children, becoming better mothers and protecting their children from victimization were the overarching themes of their redemption, communion, and generative narratives. The findings highlight the importance of community responses to traumatized girls and of counseling and therapy for justice-involved women. Several specific suggestions for supporting the development of trauma and survivor narratives as a therapeutic tool are provided as a means for clients to develop interpersonal connections and empowerment.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Prasad ◽  
Deepti Swamy

The current paper titled: ‘Survivors of Trauma and Positive Psychological Attributes: A Correlational Study’ attempted to understand the impact of trauma on the variables- Grit, Flourish and Posttraumatic Growth. For the purpose of assessment, the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, Grit Scale, Flourish Scale and a revised version of Pennebaker and Susman’s Recent Traumatic Events Scale and Childhood Traumatic Events Scale were utilized. The study was administered on 67 working individuals between the ages 25-35 who have had experienced at least one traumatic event in their life. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to find the relationship between the variables. The results showed that impact of Trauma is negatively correlated with Grit and Flourish and there is a positive correlation between Trauma and Posttraumatic Growth. But there was no significant relationship that existed between the impact of trauma and the variables of Post-traumatic Growth, Flourish and Grit.


Family Forum ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 229-251
Author(s):  
Katarina Kompan Erzar

 In this paper, we will present a study into the dynamics of the transmission of emotional traumatic in three families of victims of World War II and post-war communist oppression. This study is taken from a broader research project in which we investigated the experiences of nonclinical families that managed to survive through three generation, and in which post-traumatic growth is present, i. e. the ability to integrate traumatic experiences and provide greater security for future generations. The main focus will be on how emotional content is transmitted and transformed through generations and how to recognise it in various forms of behaviour, thinking and emotions, that appear in each of the generations. As we follow the transformation of traumatic content, we will also follow the the signs that show how traumatic content has integrated and begun to bring new, deeper emotional and mental insights. The emotional depth of the traumatic experience is what burdens the victim the most and slows down the dynamics of trauma processing. It appears in the form of symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, insecurity and mistrust. This is found even in victims who have articulated the trauma sufficiently to rise above intimidation, managed to develop emotionally strong and connecting interpersonal relationships, maintain faith in the future, and form a coherent narrative of their traumatic past. The most interesting result of the research was that all three families, regardless of their diversity, are similar in term of processing the trauma. They were all able to speak openly about their traumatic experiences. In all three families there there was a great deal of discussion and searching for the social framework and personal truth of historical events, and the desire to present and describe the events that left such deep wounds in such a way that they would be clear, reworked and accessible to future generations as a document of the reality of some tragic and difficult times. Another source of trauma processing was religious faith, which allowed all the participants in this study to look at trauma and life more deeply, through relationships and connections between people and through a deeper understanding of human history embedded in a broader and deeper spiritual flow. Faith helped these families to find the courage to make decisions, to face life’s challenges, and to endure even the most severe of life's trials. A third source that facilitates the processing and integration of a traumatic experience is secure interpersonal relationships and compassionate parenting. Despite the fact that the whole question of parenting was demanding and full of challenges for our interviewees, the quality of parenting has been improved from generation to generation, and sincere affection for children and gratitude for children were present everywhere. The ability to follow the new generation and its initiatives while maintaining a connection to its roots is a dynamic that characterises all three families. There is also a lot of thinking and conscious effort in establishing and maintaining good marital relationships in these families. For the recovery from trauma this study shows the importance of talking about it and also talking about it in a safe relationship until it takes a form that is genuine and at the same time clear, coherent and thus suitable for the general public. That’s when the traumatic story ceases to be traumatizing and becomes a story of courage, perseverance, and truth.  


Author(s):  
Sandal O.S.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to scientifically study and systematize the experience of working with traumatic events as a factor in the traumatic experience of the individual. Disclosure of the essence of the concept of “traumatic experience” to prevent its further devastating consequences for the individual. Methods. The methodologicalbasis of the article are scientific concepts of studying the syndrome of post-traumatic stress disorder, mental trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, mono trauma, poly trauma, multi trauma and models of overcoming post-traumatic growth of different countries in working with traumatic people. Features of psychological traumas in children and adults which have destructive influence on mentality and development of the victim are considered. Despite the similarity of the definitions of experiencing stress and trauma, the difference is highlighted, where stress becomes a psychological trauma, when the effect of the stressor is a violation of the mental sphere of man. Psycho-traumatic situations are described as the interaction of personality and environment (the leading role of subjective factors) and traumatic events (external factors). There are four types of response to traumatic events. The view of mental trauma as an internal state and psychological trauma as a deeply individual reaction is highlighted. The role of social factors in the formation of psychological trauma that threatens the physical integrity of man is emphasized, depending on this, the main reactions to stressful situations, their forms and manifestations are determined. Potentially traumatic situations in different living conditions are analyzed. The destructive influence on the personality of psychotraumatic factors of single and repeated traumatic events, the consequence of which is the development of negative mental states, is considered. Models of post-traumatic growth are described, which describe the subjective positive personality changes of an individual after traumatic, crisis and stressful events. Describes the areas in which positive personality changes can be made after mental trauma. Translated into Ukrainian and depicts the original model of post-traumatic personality growth. The processes of post-traumatic growth in the model are distinguished. The scientific novelty of the article is to generalize and systematize the results of research in working with manifestations of psychotrauma of a victim of psychotraumatic situations. Results. The result of the study is to reveal the essence of the concept of “traumatic experience”, to determine further important conditions for overcoming the traumatic experience of the individual. Conclusions. The conclusions formulate the key factors of the impact of psycho-traumatic events on the individual, which create difficulties for the integration of the coordinated work of different personality structures and tasks for further empirical research.Key words: post-traumatic stress, trauma, mental trauma, emotional trauma, event, situation, state, post-traumatic growth. Мета статті – наукове вивчення та систематизація досвіду роботи із психотравмувальних подій як чинника травматичного досвіду особистості. Розкриття сутності поняття «травматичний досвід» для запобігання його подальшим руйнівним наслідкам для індивіда. Методи. Методологічну основу статті становлять наукові концепції вивчення синдрому посттравматичного стресу, психічної травми, посттравматичного стресового розладу, монотравми, політравми, мультитравми та моделі подолання посттравматичного зростання різних країн у роботі з особами, що зазнали травматичного досвіду. Розглядаються особливості психологічних травм у дитячому і дорослому віці, які здійснюють деструктивний вплив на психіку і розвиток постраждалої особи. Попри подібність визначень переживання стресу і психотравми, висвітлюється різниця, де стрес стає психологічною травмою, коли наслідком дії стресора стає порушення у психічній сфері людини. Описуються психотравмувальні ситуації як взаємовплив особистості та середовища (провідна роль суб’єктивних чинників) і травматичні події (зовнішні чинники). Виокремлюються чотири типи реагування на травматичні події. Висвітлюється погляд на психічну травму як внутрішній стан та психологічну травму як глибоко індивідуальну реакцію. Підкреслюється роль у формуванні психологічної травми соціальних чинників, що загрожують фізичній цілісності людини, залежно від цього визначено основні реакції на стресові ситуації, їх форми та вияви. Проаналізовані потенційно психотравмувальні ситуації в різних життєвих умовах. Розглядається руйнівний вплив на особистість психотравмувальних чинників поодиноких та повторюваних травматичних подій, наслідком яких є розвиток негативних психічних станів. Висвітлюються моделі посттравматичного зростання, які описують суб’єктивні позитивні особистісні зміни індивіда після травматичних, кризових та стресових подій. Описуються напрями, у яких можуть здійснюватися позитивні особистісні зміни після психічної травми. Перекладена українською мовою та зображена оригінальна модель посттравматичного зростання особистості. Виокремлюються процеси посттравматичного зростання в моделі. Наукова новизна статті полягає в узагальненні та систематизації результатів досліджень у роботі з виявами психотравми постраждалої особи від психотравмувальних ситуацій. Результати. Результатомдослідження є розкриття сутності поняття «травматичний досвід», визна-чення подальших важливих умов подолання травматичного досвіду особистості. Висновки. У висновкахсформульовано ключові чинники впливу психотравмувальних подій на особистість, що створюють труднощі для інтеграції узгодженої роботи різних особистісних структур та завдання для подальшого емпіричного дослідження.Ключові слова: посттравматичний стрес, травма, психічна травма, емоційна травма, подія, ситуація, стан, посттравматичне зростання.


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