A meta-analytic review of benefit finding and growth.

Abstract

The authors conducted a meta-analysis to examine the relations of benefit finding to psychological and physical health as well as to a specific set of demographic, stressor, personality, and coping correlates. Results from 87 cross-sectional studies reported in 77 articles showed that benefit finding was related to less depression and more positive well-being but also more intrusive and avoidant thoughts about the stressor. Benefit finding was unrelated to anxiety, global distress, quality of life, and subjective reports of physical health. Moderator analyses showed that relations of benefit finding to outcomes were affected by the amount of time that had passed since stressor onset, the benefit finding measured used, and the racial composition of the sample.

What aspects of post-traumatic growth are experienced by bereaved parents? A systematic review

“…These findings are consistent with the results of a recent meta-analytic study of post-traumatic growth after a variety of traumatic events (Helgeson et al, 2006), which reported that women typically perceive more benefits from a traumatic event; potentially, this is related to how women cope with the experience. The importance of time since death in relation to identifying post-traumatic growth is also potentially supported by Helgeson and colleagues (2006), who identified that benefit-finding was strongly related to less depression and greater positive affect when considering parents two years after a trauma.…”

“…There is no documentation of whether the same relationship occurs at times closer to the event. Furthermore, this review supports Helgeson et al’s (2006) findings which documented that it was not possible, based on current evidence, to draw conclusions in relation to the nature of the stressor in understanding benefit-finding. Perhaps this is because understanding how individuals make sense of the experience is more important than the event itself.…”

“…A notion described by the Social Constructionist Model of Grief which posits that an individual’s experiences of grief are nested within a social context and that depending on the concordance with the individuals grief, social support can become either helpful or a hindrance (Neimeyer, Klass, & Dennis, 2014). The finding that dispositional optimism predicted growth (Reilly et al, 2008) was also found by Helgeson et al (2006). …”

“…The importance of time since death in relation to identifying post-traumatic growth is also potentially supported by Helgeson and colleagues (2006), who identified that benefit-finding was strongly related to less depression and greater positive affect when considering parents two years after a trauma. There is no documentation of whether the same relationship occurs at times closer to the event.…”

“…It is theorized that post-traumatic growth can manifest over five domains: self-perception, relating to others, new possibilities, appreciation of life, and existential change (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). Post-traumatic growth has been identified in many populations of individuals who have experienced a traumatic event (Helgeson, Reynolds, & Tomich, 2006). Understanding how individuals experience post-traumatic growth is important in guiding holistic support (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1995).…”