Individual and Collective Posttraumatic Growth in Victims of Natural Disasters: A Multidimensional Perspective

ABSTRACT

This study set out to incorporate the collective dimensions of posttraumatic growth and examined the construct and predictive validity of The Individual and Collective Posttraumatic Growth Scale (ICPTGS). Participants were 332 volunteers who had experienced the earthquake on February 27, 2010, in Chile. Analysis allowed us to confirm a multidimensional structure composed of four dimensions: individual, spiritual, communal growth, and societal growth. Additionally, we identified association among ICPTGS, perceived emotional impact, and social well-being. This study emphasizes that positive changes resulting from the exposure to collective disasters can be perceived also at the collective or community level.

KEYWORDS:

• Communal and societal growth
• natural disaster
• posttraumatic growth
• social well-being

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their thanks to Dr Felix Cova from Universidad de Concepción who collaborated in the research project, contributed advice on sampling and facilitated data collection. Many thanks are also due to all the collaborators from Universidad de Concepción and community members who participated in the study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Wlodarczyk

Anna Wlodarczyk, PhD, is a researcher in the School of Psychology at the Universidad Católica del Norte (Chile). She graduated in sociology at the University of Warsaw and received her PhD in psychology from the University of the Basque Country. After completing her doctorate, she took postdoctoral fellowships at Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), focusing on psychosocial effects of participation in collective gatherings and collective action. Her main research interests cover coping and emotional regulation, posttraumatic growth, political psychology, social identity, intergroup relations, and positive psychology.

Nekane Basabe

Nekane Basabe, PhD, is a full professor of social psychology at the University of Basque Country in Spain and a member of the Research Group “Culture, Cognition and Emotion” (http://www.ehu.es/es/web/psicologiasocialcce). The main topics of her research are (a) health social psychology, (b) migration, cultural shock, acculturation, and ethnic identities, and (c) collective processes of cognition and emotion and cross-cultural social psychology. Her current research is focused on emotions and collective behaviors and rituals.

Dario Páez

Dario Páez, PhD, is full professor of social psychology at the University of Basque Country in San Sebastian, Spain, and director of the research group “Culture, Cognition and Emotion” (http://www.ehu.es/es/web/psicologiasocialcce). His main topics are social processes of cognition and emotion, cross-cultural social psychology, collective memory, and transitional justice. His current research is focused on social regulation of emotions and collective behavior.

Loreto Villagrán

Loreto Villagrán, PhD, is an associate professor at the Universidad de Concepción and Universidad de San Sebastian in Chile. She graduated in psychology at the Universidad de Concepción (2006) and obtained a PhD in psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid (2016). Her main research interests cover psychosocial trauma, posttraumatic growth, social well-being, social identity, intergroup relations, and positive psychology. She currently participates in research projects on psychosocial effects of trauma and participation in collective action.

Carlos Reyes

Carlos Reyes, PhD, graduated in psychology with a master’s in governance and human rights, receiving his doctorate in social psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He is currently a lecturer and researcher at the Salesian Polytechnic University of Ecuador. He works on issues associated with psychosocial intervention, human rights, and collective traumatic experiences.