scholarly journals Association between virtues and posttraumatic growth: Preliminary evidence from a Chinese community sample after earthquakes

Author(s):  
Wenjie Duan ◽  
Pengfei Guo

Objective: Relationship, vitality, and conscientiousness are three fundamental virtues that have been identified recently, which are important individual differences to health, well being, and positive development. This cross-sectional study attempted to explore the relationship between the three constructs and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in three directions, including indirect trauma samples without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), direct trauma samples without PTSD, and direct trauma samples with PTSD. Methods: A total of 340 community participants from Sichuan Province, Mainland China involved in the study, most of which experienced Wenchuan and Lushan Earthquake. Participants were required to complete the self-reported questionnaire packages at one time point for obtaining their scores on virtues (Chinese Virtues Questionnaire), PTSD (PTSD Checklist-Specific), and PTG (Post-traumatic Growth Inventory-Chinese). Results: Significant and positive correlations between the three virtues and PTG were identified (r = .39 to .56; p < .01). Further regression analysis by stepwise method reveled that: in the indirect trauma samples, vitality explained 32% variance of PTG. In reference to the direct trauma sample without PTSD, both relationship and conscientiousness explained 32% variance of PTG; whereas in the direct trauma sample with PTSD, only conscientiousness accounted for 31% the variance in PTG. Conclusion: This cross-sectional investigation partly revealed the roles of different virtues in trauma context. Findings suggest important implications for strengths-based treatment.

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjie Duan ◽  
Pengfei Guo

Objective: Relationship, vitality, and conscientiousness are three fundamental virtues that have been identified recently, which are important individual differences to health, well being, and positive development. This cross-sectional study attempted to explore the relationship between the three constructs and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in three directions, including indirect trauma samples without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), direct trauma samples without PTSD, and direct trauma samples with PTSD. Methods: A total of 340 community participants from Sichuan Province, Mainland China involved in the study, most of which experienced Wenchuan and Lushan Earthquake. Participants were required to complete the self-reported questionnaire packages at one time point for obtaining their scores on virtues (Chinese Virtues Questionnaire), PTSD (PTSD Checklist-Specific), and PTG (Post-traumatic Growth Inventory-Chinese). Results: Significant and positive correlations between the three virtues and PTG were identified (r = .39 to .56; p < .01). Further regression analysis by stepwise method reveled that: in the indirect trauma samples, vitality explained 32% variance of PTG. In reference to the direct trauma sample without PTSD, both relationship and conscientiousness explained 32% variance of PTG; whereas in the direct trauma sample with PTSD, only conscientiousness accounted for 31% the variance in PTG. Conclusion: This cross-sectional investigation partly revealed the roles of different virtues in trauma context. Findings suggest important implications for strengths-based treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shixin Yan ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
Man Ye ◽  
Shihao Chen ◽  
Chaoying Xie ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current state of post-traumatic growth (PTG) and identify its influencing factors in discharged COVID-19 patients. PTG refers to individual experiences of significant positive change arising from the struggle with a major life crisis. This descriptive cross-sectional study used the convenient sampling method to recruit 140 discharged COVID-19 patients in Hunan, China. The results show that the PTG of the discharged COVID-19 patients was positively correlated with self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder, coping style tendency, and social support, but negatively correlated with the time from onset to diagnosis. Our findings could provide guidance on improving the psychological state and well-being of discharged COVID-19 patients.


Author(s):  
O. Tokhtamysh

This topic is particularly relevant in the context of combat operations in eastern Ukraine against the occupation of the country, where members of the combined forces operation in each day are in a situation threatening the life and risk of getting a military psychological trauma. The article considers the elements and conditions of post-traumatic growth in the context of the rehabilitation process and the social promotion of human development after a traumatic event. The phenomenon of post-traumatic growth can transform the concept of rehabilitation into a term that can be labeled as "proabilitation". The forms of social and rehabilitation support in terms of creating conditions for post-traumatic growth and their effectiveness are explored. The theoretical and applied models with resource elements of the rehabilitation process and post-traumatic growth process are analyzed. It is noted that the traditional model of posttraumatic growth pay attention to the process of rumination and getting control over it and ignores one of the basic symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder, such as uncontrolled visual images (flash backs). The two-component concept of post-traumatic growth, which may be «illusory» or «adaptive», can also be presented as a «compensatory» or «healing» type with regard to the presence or absence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after reaching post-traumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth occurs in several domains and can be depending on the type of traumatic event experienced, the individual reactions and the psychological qualities of the person. This process is not such that it automatically eliminates the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, the same, rejecting the need for psychotherapeutic and psychosocial care and focusing only on post-traumatic growth can be a false strategy for those who have experienced a traumatic event. Consequently, the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth can be regarded as a powerful resource factor for the rehabilitation process, in particular, as a motivational component of psychosocial assistance.


Salud Mental ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 303-310
Author(s):  
Janet Real-Ramírez ◽  
Luis Alberto García-Bello ◽  
Rebeca Robles-García ◽  
Montserrat Martínez ◽  
Karime Adame-Rivas ◽  
...  

Introduction. In Mexico, a National Mental Health Strategy was implemented to identify and attend the mental health repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It included the creation of five virtual clinics for health workers, being the Burnout, Post-traumatic Stress and Compassion Fatigue clinic one of them. Objective. To describe the basal sociodemographic and psychological characteristics of health workers attending online mindfulness sessions as part of the treatment of the aforementioned clinic. Method. This is a cross-sectional report part of a major nationwide and longitudinal project. All attendants responded to digital sociodemographics and COVID-19 questionnaires, the Extended Physician Well-Being Index (EPWBI), and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) TOP-8 index. Results. Of the 507 health workers that participated, 70.02% of them were at risk of burnout according to the Extended Well-Being Index and 57.31, 7.91 and 2.77% had a mild, moderate, and severe risk of PTSD, respectively. The most affected were the female health workers, from metropolitan or central areas of the country, and those diagnosed with COVID-19 or exposed to a person with the diagnosis. Discussion and conclusion. Mexican health workers attending mindfulness sessions presented high frequencies of PTSD symptoms and burnout. Female workers at urban hospitals could be at a special risk for developing PTSD or Well-ness alterations, and thus, they must be cared for closely, particularly those having direct contact with COVID 19 positive persons. The early participation in mental health strategies might lessen the immediate and long-term pandemic effects.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Dorfman ◽  
Igor Grossmann ◽  
David A Moscovitch

Folk beliefs and philosophers have long suggested that mastering adversity contributes to growth in wisdom –adaptability to the situation, perspectivism, dialectical thinking, and epistemic humility. But existing research on outcomes of adversity suggests a puzzle. On the one hand, cross-sectional studies have found adversity leads to post-traumatic growth in personal strengths such as wisdom. On the other hand, focus on adverse experiences exacerbates negative emotions and thoughts and undermines health and well-being over time. Our chapter highlights the idea that outcomes of adversity may depend on one’s mindset when reflecting on the adverse experience. Adopting a self-distanced mindset rather than the habitual self-focused or self-immersed mindset is likely to enhance wise characteristics. We review evidence-based advances in the study of daily adversity and wisdom, specifically focusing on utilizing longitudinal and experimental methodologies, and address future questions and clinical implications of self-distanced mindsets for growth in wisdom.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne M Thorburn

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH), a subset of haemorrhagic stroke, is a potentially fatal condition with a mortality rate of approximately 50%. Of those that survive, some 60% will experience ongoing disability and impairment. Forty per cent of remaining survivors will experience what is deemed as a good neurological recovery. Despite good recovery, people have been found to experience negative psychosocial outcomes such as high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression and reduced levels of overall well-being. As a result, aSAH has been viewed as a traumatic life experience with the potential for ongoing psychological sequelae. More recently the literature has identified that traumatic experiences can also elicit an opportunity for growth. Post-traumatic growth (PTG) states that for some people, the experience of trauma may also result in positive psychological gains. PTG has previously been investigated as an outcome after natural disasters and in a range of medical conditions; however, no studies have investigated PTG after an aSAH. A recent study identified that PTG may play a psychologically buffering role after a diagnosis of breast cancer. It is possible that PTG may also play a protective role in recovery after an aSAH; however, this has not been investigated. This study comprised N = 251 adults who had experienced an aSAH, and were recruited from Australia, U.K., U.S.A., New Zealand, and Canada. This study examined whether people who have survived an aSAH experience PTG; if predictors including self-compassion (SC) and social support (SS) influence the development of PTG after an aSAH; and if PTG moderates the relationship between PTSS, and depression and subjective well-being. Regression analyses were utilised to analyse the data. Results showed that people experience PTG after an aSAH; SC predicted PTG; PTG was not found to moderate the relationship between PTSS and either Depression or SWB domains. Supplementary analyses were conducted with SC not a significant moderator between PTSS and either depression or SWB domains. However, SC was found to mediate the relationship between PTSS and Depression and PTSS and SWB domains.


2020 ◽  
pp. 135910532091394
Author(s):  
Wanjie Tang ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Li Lu ◽  
Yi Lu ◽  
Jiuping Xu

We evaluated the level of post-traumatic growth in a large sample of Chinese adolescent earthquake survivors ( n = 5195) and relationships among self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder, and post-traumatic growth. This cross-sectional study indicated that the prevalence of post-traumatic growth among adolescent survivors was 14.8 percent. Post-traumatic growth was independently associated with self-esteem, severity of exposures, and avoidance facets of post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder was found to be partially mediated by self-esteem on post-traumatic growth; and post-traumatic stress disorder was also a mediator between earthquake exposure and post-traumatic growth. This study suggests that future longitudinal research and clinical practice should test whether promoting self-esteem can enhance post-traumatic stress disorder treatment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 904-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharine M Mark ◽  
Sharon A M Stevelink ◽  
Jeesoo Choi ◽  
Nicola T Fear

BackgroundPost-traumatic growth is defined as positive psychological, social or spiritual growth after a trauma.ObjectivesThis systematic review aimed to identify studies that quantitatively measured post-traumatic growth among (ex-) military personnel, to determine whether there is evidence of growth in this context and whether such growth is associated with any sociodemographic, military, trauma or mental health factors.Data sourcesThe electronic databases PsycInfo, OVIDmedline and Embase were searched for studies published between 2001 and 2017.Study eligibility criteria and participantsPapers were retained if they involved military or ex-military personnel, where some had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.Study appraisalQuality assessment was conducted on all studies.Results21 studies were retained. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory was employed by 14 studies: means ranged from 32.60 (standard deviation = 14.88) to 59.07 (23.48). The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory Short Form was used by five studies: means ranged from 17.11 (14.88) to 20.40 (11.88). These values suggest moderate growth. Higher levels of social support, spirituality and rumination and minority ethnicity were most frequently associated with more post-traumatic growth.LimitationsThe involved studies may lack generalisability and methodological quality.ConclusionsOverall, this paper confirms that negative reactions to trauma, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, are not the only possible outcomes for service personnel, as moderate post-traumatic growth can also be observed.Implications of key findingsInterventions aimed at helping current and former armed forces personnel to identify and promote post-traumatic growth post-conflict may be beneficial for their well-being.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Stallard ◽  
Ana Isabel Pereira ◽  
Luísa Barros

Background Although the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health have attracted interest, little attention has focused on its positive effects and possible post-traumatic growth. Aims To assess anxiety, well-being and post-traumatic growth in carers of children aged 6–16 years in Portugal and the UK. Method A cross-sectional online survey of volunteers conducted at the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 during lockdown (1 May to 27 June 2020). Results A total of 385 caregivers (Portuguese, n = 185; UK, n = 200), predominantly mothers (n = 341, 88.6%), completed the survey. The majority were working exclusively from home (n = 271, 70.4%), almost half reported a reduction in income (n = 174, 45.2%), most children were home taught (n = 358, 93%), and 75 (19.5%) identified a family member with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection. In total, 341 caregivers (88.6%) identified positives arising from COVID-19, most commonly related to the post-traumatic growth domains of improved relationships, a greater appreciation of life, discovering and embracing new possibilities, and positive spiritual change. A comparison of those who did (n = 341) and did not (n = 34) report any positives found a significant difference in well-being scores (t373 = 2.24, P = 0.025) but not in anxiety scores (t373 = 0.75, P = 0.45). Conclusions Despite experiencing considerable adversity, examples of post-traumatic growth during the lockdown were common. Although the voluntary online nature of our survey is a limitation, our findings suggest that further research exploring post-traumatic growth following pandemics is warranted.


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