Posttraumatic growth following Hurricane Katrina: The influence of clinicians’ trauma histories and primary and secondary traumatic stress.

Abstract

Although clinicians can experience both traumatic stress and posttraumatic growth following primary and secondary exposure to traumatic events, there are inconsistencies in the professional literature as to whether a history of personal trauma serves as a risk factor. This present study examined 244 clinicians living and working in a post-Katrina environment. Using structural equation modeling, clinician’s trauma histories and primary and secondary traumatic stress were assessed in relationship to posttraumatic growth. It was expected that a greater number of traumatic life events would be related to higher levels of traumatic experience and growth. It was also expected that traumatic life experience would be associated with growth. Contrary to expectation, the initial evaluation of the path coefficients showed no significant paths between primary trauma and growth. A revised model was then refit with the inclusion of 2 latent variables, which yielded a better fit. The results showed that a greater number of traumatic life events were related to both primary and secondary traumatic stress but not growth. The latent variables revealed a statistically significant relationship between re-experiencing, which related to greater growth in 1 domain. Implications for theory development, clinical practice and policy, and future research are discussed.

Relationships Between Latent Factors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Growth

“…Posttraumatic stress disorder and PTG had common variance together based on canonical correlation analysis. This supports other research finding that the constructs within PTSD and PTG are interrelated (Bauwens and Tosone, 2014;Croft et al, 2013;Wang et al, 2013).…”

“…We found that PTSD's re-experiencing subscale was related to PTG's appreciation for life, in support of Bauwens and Tosone (2014). Conceptually, the importance of re-experiencing with PTG in general fits with literature finding that PTG happens as a direct function of rumination and cognitive processing (Bauwens and Tosone, 2014;Tedeschi and Calhoun, 1995;Tedeschi and Calhoun, 2004).…”

“…Posttraumatic stress disorder's re-experiencing factor should be most related to PTG's appreciation for life factor, and avoidance factor should be most related to PTG's new possibilities factor. The more severe re-experiencing and avoidance of traumatic stimuli that people experience should be related to appreciation for life and seeking new possibilities, respectively, and as a means of coping with and avoiding thoughts of their traumatic events (Bauwens and Tosone, 2014).…”

Posttraumatic Growth and MetaHabilitation in Recreational Therapy Practice: A Strengths-Based Pathway to Recovery

“…Posttraumatic Growth: A Promising Outcome in the Aftermath of Trauma According to Bauwens and Tosone (2014), there is strong evidence that growth can occur after trauma. This process of positive adaptation resulting from trauma and crisis has been labeled posttraumatic growth, stress-related growth, positive adaptation and adjustment, and benefit-finding (Ramos & Leal, 2013).…”

“…MetaHabilitation specifically and directly uses each individual's inherent capacities and identified conditions to support the achievement of posttraumatic growth (Mikal-Flynn, 2007, 2012b. MetaHabilitation acknowledges that trauma, disease, and other interruptions to a person's equilibrium or status quo necessitates a series of behaviors required to survive, cope and adapt to a new life or way of being (Bauwens & Tosone;Jackson, 2007;Livneh & Parker, 2005;Mikal-Flynn, 2012b). Survival and adaptation to a new life requires adjustments of the individual's biological homeostasis, self-concept, personal identity, and confidence so the disruption and disequilibrium can be effectively leveraged for growth (Jackson, 2007;Warren, Stucky, & Sherman, 2014).…”