Coping and posttraumatic growth: A longitudinal comparison of two alternative views.

Abstract

Purpose: The current study aimed to examine two possible explanations for why higher levels of posttraumatic growth (PTG) were repeatedly found to be predicted by both approach-and avoidance-oriented coping, focusing on individuals recently diagnosed with a spinal cord injury (SCI). First, negative changes (posttraumatic depreciation, PTD) may moderate the association between PTG and the two types of coping indicating that PTG reflects avoidance of PTD for some individuals, but a constructive view on posttraumatic life changes for others.Second, it may be that a flexible use of different types of coping strategies (coping flexibility) enables the experience of PTG. Method: A sample consisting of 122 patients admitted to one of the four national SCI rehabilitation centers was examined in a longitudinal study.Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the two competing explanations. Results: Both approach-(β = .30, p = .001) and avoidance-oriented coping (β = .23, p = .011) measured three months after SCI diagnosis predicted higher PTG levels at discharge from clinical rehabilitation. PTD did not moderate the relationship between approach-(β = .03, p = .743) and avoidance-oriented coping (β = -.04, p = .656) and PTG.However, coping flexibility (β = .23, p = .012) predicted higher PTG levels. Conclusion:These results suggest that a flexible use of different types of coping strategies potentially according to situational demands may explain findings that PTG was predicted by both approach-and avoidance-oriented coping.

Coping with my own way: Mediating roles of emotional expression and social support seeking in the associations between individual differences and posttraumatic growth

“…Third, the mediation model only explained a moderate proportion of variance in PTG, implying that other important variables may need to be considered. Studies have suggested that centrality of the traumatic event (higher PTG among people incorporated the event into personal identity) and coping flexibility (higher PTG among those who could flexibly use different types of coping strategies) are also important determinants of PTG (Kunz et al, 2018; Wamser-Nanney et al, 2018). Considering those may explain additional variance in PTG.…”

Developing an understanding of Post Traumatic Growth: Implications and application for research and intervention

“…Interestingly, there is evidence that both approach based coping (Helgeson et al, 2006;Prati & Pietrantoni, 2009) as well as avoidant based coping support higher levels of PTG (Helgeson et al, 2006). Trauma sufferers need brief and limited periods of avoidant coping such as denial, to allow distress relief, prior to the more overwhelming and confronting process of approach coping (Kunz et al, 2018). A flexible approach to coping styles is required, providing important evidence that while approach oriented coping has been shown as most effective in supporting PTG in trauma populations (Helgeson et al, 2006;Prati & Pietrantoni, 2009), it's effectiveness can be enhanced by specific and limited use of avoidant coping, especially effective in the early stages post trauma (Kunz et al, 2018).…”

Socialization of Coping in Pediatric Oncology Settings: Theoretical Consideration on Parent–Child Connections in Posttraumatic Growth

“…The initial phase of treatment and diagnosis may be connected to different stressful situations than the phase of treatment completion and survivorship. The ability to adjust coping strategies according to the demands of a specific situation is called coping or regulatory flexibility (e.g., Bonanno and Burton, 2013 ; Cheng et al, 2014 ) and has already been linked to PTG in medical settings in adult patients with cancer ( Pat-Horenczyk et al, 2016 ) and spinal cord injury ( Kunz et al, 2018 ). Coping flexibility, as an ability to choose an appropriate coping strategy depending on the demands of a specific situation, appears to be more important than relying on a specific coping strategy or category of strategies.…”