Coexistence of Post-traumatic Growth and Post-traumatic Depreciation in the Aftermath of Trauma: Qualitative and Quantitative Narrative Analysis

Abstract

Objectives: Post-traumatic growth (PTG) and post-traumatic depreciation (PTD) can be defined, respectively, as positive and negative changes in the aftermath of trauma. These changes can be assigned to the following domains: personal strength, relating to others, new possibilities, appreciation of life, spiritual and existential change. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that positive and negative effects of trauma can coexist and explore the categories of effect. Methods: 72 participants were asked to recount their experience of trauma and answer questions about how it had affected their thinking about themselves and the world. Participants’ narratives were analyzed by competent judges and using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count. Results: The domains in which positive changes were most frequently observed were Personal Strength (26.09%), Relating to Others (24.22%), and Appreciation of Life (21.12%). Negative changes mainly affected Relating to Others (33.33%) and Personal Strength (23.33%). The results were confirmed by quantitative analysis of narratives: participants’ narratives of trauma and its consequences contained more words which expressing positive emotions (1.67%) than negative emotions (0.90%), paired-sample t (60) = 9.70, p < 0.001. There were correlations between the frequency of words referring to positive emotions and PTG, r (62) = 0.39, p < 0.01, and between the frequency of words referring to negative emotions and PTG, r (62) = 0.23, p < 0.05. Conclusion: PTG and PTD can coexist and they can be regarded as outcomes of two separate processes. The study results also suggest that although PTG and PTD can coexist, they may be considered different domains of psychological functioning.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) and posttraumatic depreciation (PTD) across ten countries: Global validation of the PTG-PTD theoretical model

“…In fact, of 10 countries, 5 (Australia, Japan, Turkey, Portugal, and Peru) showed no systematic relationships between PTG and PTD, whereas the other 5 countries (i.e., Italy, Nepal, the US, Germany, and Poland) indicated a curvilinear relationship, that is, PTG was more likely to be reported when a moderate level of PTD was also present. These results demonstrate that PTG and PTD are not on opposite ends of a single dimension across the board but rather co-exist, being consistent with findings from other studies (Kunz et al, 2019;Zięba et al, 2019). Given that PTD and PTSD symptoms were positively correlated with each other, in line with previous research (Barrington & Shakespeare-Finch, 2013), PTD was an appropriate indicator measuring the "negative" aspects of changes after a trauma.…”

Post-traumatic Growth Level and Its Influencing Factors Among Frontline Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Overall, the frontline nurses reported moderate PTG level. Post-traumatic depreciation, inverse of PTG, can coexist with PTG in the aftermath of Trauma ( 24 ). Nursing administrators should make effective strategies to further improve PTG among frontline nurses.…”

Correlates of post‐traumatic growth among nursing professionals: A cross‐sectional analysis

“…In fact, PTG is protective against mental health issues, such as anxiety and depressive symptoms (Aderhold, Morawa, Paslakis, & Erim, 2019; Willie et al., 2016). Conversely, post‐traumatic depreciation, the negative changes experienced from trauma, is predictive of diminished life satisfaction and psychological flourishing, but may coexist in individuals who achieve PTG (Zięba, Wiecheć, Biegańska‐Banaś, & Mieleszczenko‐Kowszewicz, 2019). Considering the complex nature of PTG, elucidating protective personal and occupational characteristics may have value in improving the health of nursing professionals, their professional quality of life and the subsequent quality of patient care (Tosone, Bauwens, & Glassman, 2016).…”