Posttraumatic Growth and Posttraumatic Depreciation as Predictors of Psychological Adjustment

Abstract

Informed by current trauma literature, this study explored the relationships between posttraumatic growth (PTG), posttraumatic depreciation (PTD), and other posttrauma outcomes including well-being, psychological flourishing, and psychological distress. The predictive utility of PTG and PTD was also examined. The sample comprised 104 trauma survivors (28 community members and 76 university students) who completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory–42 and several outcome measures. As expected, PTD showed strong linear correlations with well-being, flourishing and distress, and emerged as a significant predictor of scores on such measures. However, PTG showed negligible correlations with well-being, flourishing, and distress. This reaffirms that PTG and PTD measure conceptually distinct and independent dimensions of experience, which has implications for therapeutic practice.

KEYWORDS:

• distress
• posttraumatic depreciation
• posttraumatic growth
• predictive validity
• well-being

Notes

Note. PTG = posttraumatic growth; PTD = posttraumatic depreciation; MVA = motor vehicle accident; MCA = motorcycle accident.

Note. PTG F1 = relating to others; PTG F2 = new possibilities; PTG F3 = personal strength; PTG F4 = spiritual change; PTG F5 = appreciation of life; PTG total = posttraumatic growth total score; PTD F1 = relating to others; PTD F2 = new possibilities; PTD F3 = personal strength; PTD F4 = spiritual change; PTD F5 = appreciation of life; PTD total = posttraumatic depreciation total score; DASS-D = DASS depression; DASS-A = DASS anxiety; DASS-S = DASS stress; SWLS = Satisfaction with Life Scale; PFS = Psychological Flourishing Scale; SPANE-P = Scale of Positive and Negative Experience positive subscale; SPANE-N = Scale of Positive and Negative Experience negative subscale. Listwise N = 104.

##*p < .001.

Note. DASS-21 = Depression Anxiety Stress Scales; SWLS = Satisfaction with Life Scale; PFS = Psychological Flourishing Scale; SPANE = Scale of Positive and Negative Experience.

Note. PTD = posttraumatic depreciation; SWLS = Satisfaction with Life Scale; PFS = Psychological Flourishing Scale; SPANE Negative = Scale of Positive and Negative Experience negative subscale.

*p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Allysa Barrington

Allysa Barrington is currently undertaking a doctorate of clinical psychology at Queensland University of Technology. Although a relatively new contributor to the trauma field, her research has been dedicated to posttraumatic growth and other associated phenomena.

Jane Shakespeare-Finch

Jane Shakespeare-Finch is an associate professor in the School of Psychology and Counselling at Queensland University of Technology. Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is Jane's primary area of research, and she has studied PTG phenomena in a wide variety of populations ranging from emergency service personnel to refugees and adult survivors of childhood sexual assault.