Posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic growth in a community sample exposed to stressful events: A (not so) curvilinear relationship.

Abstract

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) has been extensively debated, with evidence supporting that negative and positive outcomes may coexist simultaneously. However, literature consensus has yet to be reached regarding whether the nature of the relationship between these variables is better explained through a linear or curvilinear relationship. In the present study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory and tested the linear and curvilinear relationship between PTG and PTSD. Participants were 315 adults, with a mean age of 34.66 years (SD = 10.90), and ranged in age between 18 and 68 years; 144 (45.7%) participants were male and 171 (54.3%) were female who had experienced a potentially trauma or adverse event and had a level of education lower than the university education level. The original 5-factor structure of the PTGI was maintained, with satisfactory internal consistency. Exploratory data analysis showed a violation of the normality assumption because the sample reported low levels of PTSD. We used the bootstrap method, which gives an estimate of the sampling distribution (Field, 2018). Results showed a linear positive relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG, after adjusting for sociodemographic variables. A curvilinear relationship between these variables was not found in the present sample. An overall small positive relationship was found between each PTSD subscale (Intrusion, Avoidance, and Arousal) and the 5 PTGI factors. This study found that PTSD and PTG can coexist. Implications for practice and recommendation for future research are discussed.

Psychological health in COVID-19 patients after discharge from an intensive care unit

“…The potential for psychological growth after trauma is less well studied than the more physiological consequences of trauma (70, 71) and may add an important perspective to current thinking about trauma. PTG can be transformative; in the face of emotionally overwhelming and stressful events, individuals can commit their resources and skills toward overcoming adversity and emerge with a perception of an improvement in themselves (72)(73)(74). This process in survivors of intensive care for COVID-19 has been studied little.…”

The curvilinear relationships between posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety.

“…The PTS-PTG curvilinear model A and corresponding theories are so well-established that recent studies finding linear relationships have still couched these findings within the engine framework, concluding that homogenous trauma severity within the study is the reason only linear effects were found (Maia et al, 2022;Thomas et al, 2021). Therefore, a next step for understanding PTG in the context of PTS is to examine the PTS-PTG relationship while accounting for trauma severity.…”

“…The current literature suggests a complex association between PTG and PTS. Some studies on PTS and PTG report that the relationship is inconsistent, for they appear positively correlated at times (Cleary et al, 2022; Maia et al, 2022), inversely correlated at times (Stermac et al, 2014; Thomas et al, 2021), and uncorrelated at times (Salsman et al, 2009; Taku et al, 2021). Although some scholars continue to debate the direction of this relationship, an abundance of literature suggests that the relationship between PTG and PTS is most likely curvilinear (Dar & Iqbal, 2020; Elderton et al, 2017; Greenberg et al, 2021; Shakespeare-Finch & Lurie-Beck, 2014).…”

Don’t fade on me: Coping, instrumental support, and posttraumatic growth in the year after a catastrophic hurricane-flood.

“…Accordingly, PTG is associated with measures of positive well-being and flourishing (Grier-Reed et al, 2023; Helgeson et al, 2006). As such, one’s perceptions of positive changes emerging after a trauma experience may indicate an important aspect of adaptation but may also coexist alongside PTSS (Maia et al, 2022).…”