The Dynamics of Posttraumatic Growth Across Different Trauma Types in a Palestinian Sample

Abstract

A Palestinian sample was used to explore the dynamics of posttraumatic growth (PTG) across different trauma types. Cumulative trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, PTG, and stress-related growth (SRG) measures were administered. As predicted, only type I traumas were associated with PTG. Type II traumas were not associated with PTG, while type III collective identity traumas were negatively associated with PTG. Results indicated that PTG was not a significant predictor of any mental health symptoms and that PTG is different from SRG, which seems to describe growth in non-traumatic situations. The results suggest that it is important to analyze trauma profiles rather than single trauma.

KEYWORDS:

• cumulative trauma related disorders
• curvilinear predictors
• development-based trauma framework (DBTF)
• Palestinians
• posttraumatic growth

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge extremely helpful comments from Professor Richard Tedeschi on a previous version of this article.

Notes

Note. F1 = post-trauma internal growth factor; F2 = post-trauma relational growth factor; Subscale 1 = PTG appreciation of life; Subscale 2 = PTG spiritual growth; Subscale 3 = PTG personal strength; Subscale 4 = PTG new possibilities; Subscale 5 = PTG relationships with others; SRG = stress-related growth.

†p < .10; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Note. F1 = post-trauma internal growth factor; F2 = post-trauma relational growth factor; Subscale 1 = PTG appreciation of life; Subscale 2 = PTG spiritual growth; Subscale 3 = PTG personal strength; Subscale 4 = PTG new possibilities; Subscale 5 = PTG relationships with others.

†p < .10; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Note. Gender, age, marital status, education, and negative appraisal of cumulative trauma were entered in the first step and PTG in the second step (as independent variables). CT NA = cumulative trauma negative appraisal.

**p < .01; ***p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ibrahim A. Kira

Ibrahim A. Kira is a clinical psychologist, scholar, and researcher. He is the director and founder of the Center for Cumulative Trauma Studies, Stone Mountain, Georgia. His interest focuses on taxonomy and measurement of traumatic stress and the effects of cumulative trauma, appraisal, and value processing, as well as issues of torture treatment, social justice, peace, and conflict resolutions.

Sharifa Aboumediene

Sharifa Aboumediene is a medical doctor in Dearborn, Michigan, and a research associate at the Center for Cumulative Trauma Studies. Her research interests include the effects of trauma on physical and mental health of Palestinian children and adults.

Jeffrey S. Ashby

Jeffrey S. Ashby is a professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology at Georgia State University, Atlanta. His research interests include stress and coping, perfectionism, and other cognitive structures.

Lydia Odenat

Lydia Odenat is a PhD candidate in counseling psychology at Georgia State University and a research associate at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. Her research specialization is torture survival and coping.

Jamal Mohanesh

Jamal Mohanesh is a clinician and researcher at the ACCESS Community Health and Research Center, Dearborn, Michigan. He is also a research associate at the Center for Cumulative Trauma Studies. His research interests include refugee discrimination and anxiety measurement.

Hala Alamia

Hala Alamia is a research associate at the Center for Cumulative Trauma Studies. Alamia's research interest is traumatic experiences in intergroup conflict.