A cross-sectional study to explore the mediating effect of intrinsic aspiration on the association between unconditional positive self-regard and posttraumatic growth

Abstract

Person-centered psychotherapy is based on the growth paradigm of psychological distress. Person-centered therapy is, therefore, ideally placed to facilitate posttraumatic growth. There were two aims of this study. The first was to explore the association between unconditional positive self-regard and the construct of posttraumatic growth. The second was to explore the mediating effect of intrinsic aspirations on the association between unconditional positive self-regard and posttraumatic growth. A cross-sectional correlation design was used to ask a sample of Cypriot origin participants (N = 99) to complete the Unconditional Positive Self-Regard Scale (UPSR), Intrinsic Aspirations subscale of the Aspirations Index and Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Findings showed that unconditional positive self-regard was significantly positively correlated with posttraumatic growth and that the association between unconditional positive self-regard and posttraumatic growth was successfully partially mediated by intrinsic aspirations. This is the first study to test for the mechanisms by which unconditional positive self-regard predicts posttraumatic growth. The findings also support a link between the phenomenon of posttraumatic growth and person-centered theory at a construct level. Implications for person-centered therapy are discussed and suggestions for further research are proposed.

Eine Querschnitt-Studie zum vermittelnden Effekt intrinsischer Bestrebungen auf die Verbindung zwischen Bedingungslosem positiven Selbst-Beachten und posttraumatischem Wachstum

Personzentrierte Psychotherapie basiert auf dem Wachstumsparadigma durch psychischen Stress. Personzentrierte Therapie ist daher ideal positioniert, um posttraumatisches Wachstum zu fördern. Diese Studie hatte zwei Ziele: erstens die Verbindung zwischen bedingungslosem positivem Selbst-Beachten und dem Konstrukt des posttraumatischen Wachstums zu untersuchen. Zweitens ging es um den vermittelnden Effekt intrinsischer Bestrebungen auf die Verbindung zwischen Bedingungslosem positivem Selbst-Beachten und posttraumatischem Wachstum. Unter Anwendung eines Querschnitts-Korrelationsdesigns baten wir eine Stichprobe mit Staatsangehörigen aus Zypern (N = 99) folgende Fragebögen auszufüllen: den Unconditional Positive Self-Regard Scale (UPSR), die Sub-Skala Intrinsic Aspirations des Aspirations Index und das Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Die Befunde zeigten, dass bedingungsloses positives Selbst-Beachten signifikant positiv mit posttraumatischem Wachstum korrelierte und dass die Verbindung zwischen Bedingungslosem positiven Selbst-Beachten und posttraumatischem Wachstum teilweise erfolgreich durch intrinsische Bestrebungen vermittelt wurde. Dies ist die erste Studie, die die Mechanismen überprüft, wie sich aufgrund Bedingungslosem positivem Selbst-Beachten posttraumatisches Wachstum vorhersagen lässt. Die Befunde stützen auch eine Verbindung zwischen dem Phänomen des posttraumatischen Wachstums und der Personzentrierten Theorie auf Konstrukt-Ebene. Implikationen für Personzentrierte Therapie werden diskutiert und Vorschläge für weitere Forschung gemacht.

Une étude transversale explorant l’effet médiateur de l’aspiration intrinsèque sur l’association entre le regard positif inconditionnel de soi et la croissance post-traumatique

La psychothérapie centrée sur la personne repose sur un modèle de croissance lié à la détresse psychologique. La thérapie centrée sur la personne est dès lors parfaitement adéquate pour faciliter la croissance post-traumatique. Cette étude poursuit deux objectifs. Le premier est d’explorer l’association entre le regard positif inconditionnel de soi et le construct de croissance post-traumatique. Le second est d’explorer l’effet médiateur des aspirations intrinsèques sur l’association entre le regard positif inconditionnel de soi et la croissance post-traumatique. Un protocole d’enquête transversale de corrélation a été utilisé pour demander à un échantillon de participants (N = 99) d’origine chypriote de compléter une échelle de regard positif inconditonnel de soi (Unconditional Positive Self-Regard Scale) et une sous-échelle d’aspirations instrinsèques (Intrinsic Aspirations subscale of the Aspirations Index and Post Traumatic Growth Inventory). Les résultats montrent que le regard positif inconditionnel de soi est significativement et positivement corrélé avec la croissance post-traumatique et que l’association entre le regard positif inconditionnel de soi et la croissance post-traumatique est partiellement médiatisée avec succès par les aspirations intrinsèques. Il s’agit de la première étude testant les mécanismes par lesquels le regard positif inconditionnel de soi prédit la croissance post-traumatique. Les résultats appuient également le lien, existant sur le plan du construct, entre le phénomène de croissance post-traumatique et la théorie centrée sur la personne. Les implications pour la thérapie centrée sur la personne sont discutées et des orientations sont proposées pour de futures recherches.

Um estudo transversal que explora o efeito mediador da aspiração intrínseca na associação entre o auto-conceito incondicional positivo e o desenvolvimento pós-traumático

A psicoterapia centrana na pessoa baseia-se num paradigma de desenvolvimento perante o sofrimento psicológico. A peicoterapia centrada na pessoa encontra-se, consequentemente, numa posição ideal para facilitar o desenvolvimento pós-traumático. Este estudo tinha dois objetivos. O primeiro era explorar a associação entre o auto-conceito incondicional positivo e o construto de desenvolvimento pós-traumático. O segundo consistia em explorar o efeito mediador das aspirações intrínsecas na associação entre o auto-conceito incondicional positivo e o desenvolvimento pós-traumático. Recorreu-se a uma investigação transversal, em que se pediu a uma amostra de participantes de origem cipriota (N = 99) que preenchessem a Escala de Auto-Conceito Incondicional Positivo (ACIP), a sub-escala de Aspirações Intrínsecas do Índice de Aspirações do Inventário de Desenvolvimento Pós-Traumático (IDPT). Os resultados demonstraram a existência de uma relação positiva e significativa entre o ACPI e o desenvolvimento pós-traumático e que essa relação era parcialmente mediada com sucesso pelas aspirações intrínsecas. Este é o primeiro estudo que testa os mecanismos através dos quais o ACIP prediz o desenvolvimento pós-traumático. Estes achados também apoiam uma ligação entre o fenómeno do desenvolvimento pós-traumático e a teoria centrada na pessoa, ao nível do construto. São discutidas as implicações para a terapia centrada na pessoa e são propostas sugestões para futuras investigações.

Keywords:

• unconditional positive self-regard
• intrinsic aspirations
• posttraumatic growth

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Murphy

David Murphy, PhD., CPsychol., AFBPsS., is the Course Director for the MA in Person-Centred Experiential Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Nottingham, UK. He is on the British Psychological Society’s Register of Psychologists Specializing in Psychotherapy. He works as a person-centred experiential psychotherapist with particular interest in the field of trauma. Previously he has held the position as Honorary Psychologist in Psychotherapy at the Centre for Trauma, Resilience and Growth, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

Evangelia Demetriou

Evangelia Demetriou, BSc., MA., works in private practice as a person-centred experiential counsellor in Cyprus. She completed her Masters Degree at the University of Nottingham, UK. The focus of her work is with children and young people and she also works with families.

Stephen Joseph

Stephen Joseph, PhD., CPsychol., AFBPsS., is the convenor for the counselling and psychotherapy cluster in the School of Education at the University of Nottingham, UK. He is on the British Psychological Society’s Register of Psychologists Specializing in Psychotherapy. He is author of What Doesn’t Kill Us:The New Psychology of Posttraumatic Growth (Basic Books).