EFFECTS OF TRAUMA INTENSITY ON POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH:

DEPRESSION, SOCIAL SUPPORT, COPING AND GENDER

Jennifer Steward

TRAUMA

Study of how events effect people

National Comorbidity Study (Kessler, Chiu, Demler, & Walters, 2005)

60% of Men 51% of Women

Aftermath Distress Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

(PTSD)

PTSD RELATIONSHIPS

Common PTSD Correlates:Meta Analysis (Helgeson, Reynolds, & Tomich, 2006)

Depression Trauma Severity Female more likely than males

Lack of Social Support has also been shown to be related to greater levels of PTSD (Ozer et. al, 2008; Brewin, Andrews & Valentine, 2000).

POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH

Positive consequences following trauma The ability to thrive after experiencing a

traumatic event, with individuals showing an increase in emotional, cognitive and/or psychological resources. (Wild & Paivio, 2003)

Two separate continuums, as opposed to two sides of the same continuum.

(Borja, Callahan, & Long, 2006) Variables can be correlates of both PTG and PTSD

CURRENT FINDINGS IN PTG Depression

Negative relationship, after two years (Helgeson, Reynolds, & Tomich, 2006)

Coping Positively related to problem- and emotion-focused

coping (Linley & Joseph, 2004)

Social Support- Inconsistent results

Weiss (2002)- Social support predicts PTG

Linley & Joseph (2004)- Does not, but satisfaction with social support does.

Gender- Women are shown to experience more growth

(Helgeson, Reynolds, & Tomich, 2006)

TRAUMA INTENSITY

Large amount of variance in the experience of the trauma

Literature evaluation of traumatic events Subjective experience of the trauma

“There is no single profile of a [trauma victim], as the extent and the nature of the impact varies from person to person” (Futa, Nash, Hansen, and Garbin, 2003)

TRAUMA INTENSITY & PTG

Studies have shown that events perceived as more severe were related to more PTG.

(Helgeson, Reynolds, & Tomich, 2006; Morris et al., 2005)

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Observe the effect trauma severity has on the relationship between PTG and depression, social support, coping strategies, and gender.

Clarify the relationships with PTG

METHODS USED 598 UNT students were surveyed using an

online mass testing experiment through the UNT Psychology Department

All students received partial course credit for their participation

Questionnaires Used Traumatic Events Questionnaire PTSD Checklist Posttraumatic Growth Inventory Brief Cope Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support

ANALYSIS

Creating trauma categoriesTwo different splits

Median Split- Score of 25

Clinical Value- Score of 44(Blanchard, Jones-Alexander, Buckley, & Forneris,

1996 )

Gender- Looked at mean PTGI scores for both genders are each split.

OUR FINDINGS

Median Split

Depression-

Coping-

Social Support-

Clinical Split All variables showed even stronger amplification of

PTG

OUR FINDINGS (CONT.)o Gender Differences

Median split- no significant differences Clinical split-Low trauma group = Women had more

PTG High trauma group = Men

had more PTG

PC

L

Score

s

WHAT IT MEANS/CONCLUSIONS

Subjective trauma severity matters

Clarification of PTG relationships in the literature

Implications towards future research

REFERENCES Blanchard, E.B., Jones-Alexander, J., Buckley, & T.C., Forneris, C.A. (1996). Psychometric

properties of the ptsd checklist (PCL). Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34(8), 669-673. Borja, S.E., Callahan, J.L., & Long, P.J. (2006). Positive and negative adjustment and social

support of sexual assault survivors. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 19(6), 905-914. Brewin, C.R., Andrews, B., & Valentine, J.D. (2000). Meta-analysis of risk factors for

posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed adults. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(5), 748-766.

Futa, K.T., Nash, C.L., Hansen, D.J., & Garbin, C.P. (2003). Adult survivors of childhood abuse: An analysis of coping mechanisms used for stressful childhood memories and current

stressors. Journal of Family Violence, 18, 227-239. Helgeson, V.S., Reynolds, K.A., & Tomich, P.L. (2006). A meta-analytic review of benefit finding

and growth. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74(5), 797-816. Linley, P.A. & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review.

Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17, 11-21. Morris, B.A., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Rieck, M., Newbery, J. (2005). Multidimensional nature of

posttraumatic growth in an Australian population. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(5), 575-585. Ozer, E.J., Best, S.R., Lipsey, T.L., & Weiss, D.S. (2008). Predictors of posttraumatic stress

disorder and symptoms in adults: A meta-analysis. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, S(1), 3-36.

Tedeschi, R. & Calhoun, L. (1996). The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measure the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9, 455-471.

Weiss, T. (2002). Posttraumatic growth in women with breast cancer and their husbands: An ntersubjective validation study. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 20, 65-80.

Wild, N.D. & Paivio, S.D. (2003). Psychological adjustment, coping, and emotional regulation as predictors of posttraumatic growth. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 8(4), 97-122.