Fixing the Growth Illusion: New Directions for Research in Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth

Infurna, Frank J.; Jayawickreme, Eranda

doi:10.1177/0963721419827017

Cited by 143 publications

(181 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(56 reference statements)

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“…First, the overwhelming majority of studies were cross‐sectional. Longitudinal studies would allow for examination of the relationship between growth and stress at different time points along the cancer trajectory . Second, all studies examined utilized self‐report measures, and although few studies used a trained professional to administer the self‐report measure, nearly all studies administered the measures via postal mail or email.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, perceptions of change do not always relate to actual change, potentially leading to a false report of PTG. Therefore, using informant reports or clinical interview would be ideal in future research . Third, given the limitations of the existing literature identified during an attempt to analyze potential important moderators, more research on distinct samples consisting of either males or females, patients with one type of cancer, and patients only undergoing treatment may be beneficial and allow for examination of desired comparisons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The relationship between post‐traumatic stress and post‐traumatic growth in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

2020

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Objective: Research on the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in cancer patients and survivors is increasing. Methods:We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 51 studies that assessed the relationship between PTSD/PTSS and PTG, in cancer patients/survivors. Five databases were searched through 29 April 2019. The purpose of this manuscript is to report a summary of this literature, the aggregate effect size of the relationship between PTSD and PTG, and the examination of potential moderators that may impact the relationship between PTSD and PTG. Results:The aggregate weighted effect size for the association between PTSD/PTSS and PTG was small, r = .08, but significantly different from zero. We examined whether time since diagnosis, stage of cancer, type of measure used to assess PTSD/ PTSS, or type of measure used to assess PTG explained the significant heterogeneity among the individual effect sizes. The relationship was significantly stronger for the small subset of studies that included only stage 4 patients compared with those that included only non-stage 4 patients. Additionally, the strongest relationship was for those studies that used the Impact of Events Scale-Revised to assess PTSD. Conclusions:The relationship between PTSD/PTSD and PTG is modestly positive and robust. There is evidence that the threat of advanced cancer is more strongly associated with growth, but none supporting that more time since cancer diagnosis allows survivors the opportunity to positively reinterpret and find meaning in the traumatic aspects of the disease resulting in more growth. K E Y W O R D S cancer, oncology, post-traumatic growth, post-traumatic stress disorder 1 | BACKGROUND Individuals with many illnesses live longer than they would have years ago. As a result, psychological effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment are more often reported than they were in the past. In response, in 1994, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV), broadened its criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by incorporating an additional criterion-being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness-to those that constitute a traumatic event. Some have argued that cancer is This work was conducted at Stony Brook University.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between post‐traumatic stress and post‐traumatic growth in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

2020

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“…Fourth, an optimal study design would consist of multiple measurement occasions before and after the (missed) event to allow estimating nonlinear change (Infurna & Jayawickreme, 2019;Luhmann et al, 2014). Multiple measurement occasions before the (missed) events are necessary to be able to determine whether changes after the (missed) events reflect a return to baseline (adaptation) or exceed baseline levels (growth) and to model potential anticipatory changes (Luhmann et al, 2013).…”

Section: Limitations and Implications For Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nothing Going On? Exploring the Role of Missed Events in Changes in Subjective Well-Being and the Big Five Personality Traits

Luhmann¹,

Buecker²,

Kaiser³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Objective: Missed events are defined as the nonoccurrence of expected major life events within a specified time frame. We examined whether missed events should be studied in research on growth by exploring the role of missed events for changes in subjective well-being (SWB) and the Big Five personality traits. Method: The samples were selected from two nationally representative panel studies, the German Socioeconomic Panel Innovation Sample (SOEP-IS, total N = 6,638) and the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences panel (LISS, Ns between 4,262 and 5,749). Rank-order stability and mean-level change were analyzed using regression and mixed models. Type I error probability was reduced by using conservative thresholds for level of significance and minimal effect size.Results: Expected but missed events were more frequent than actually experienced events. For SWB, rank-order stability tended to be lower among those who experienced a missed event than among those who did not. For the Big Five personality traits, significant differences between those who did and those who did not experience a missed event were rare and unsystematic. Conclusion: Missed events merit more attention in future research on growth and personality change, but the effects are probably weak.

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“…Some theorists even propose that growth requires the presenceand a direct confrontation with the source-of distress [6][7][8]. However, problematically, this area of research is subject to signi cant criticism and controversy, raising important doubts not only about the existence of post-traumatic psychological growth following cancer and its treatment, but also about the processes involved [9][10][11][12][13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived and Actual Growth Following Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation: Longitudinal Evidence of Greater Decline than Growth

Corman¹,

Rubio²,

Cabrespine³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background. This prospective longitudinal study examined perceived and actual changes in post-traumatic growth following Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation (HSCT) and their relationships with mental health and psychological disposition. We also tested the hypothesis that unwillingness to be in contact with distressing thoughts and feelings—i.e. experiential avoidance—would moderate the relationship between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and growth.Methods. This study was carried out with 187 patients. All patients completed the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) five months after HSCT and also scales tapping into the five domains of PTGI during and 5 months after HSCT. Mental health and psychological disposition were also assessed prior to hospitalization. A PTSD scale was administrated at the five-month follow-up.Results. Perceived and actual change were weakly correlated. Bayesian pre/post-HSCT comparisons in actual growth revealed substantial to very strong decline in four of the five dimensions assessed. Overall, RCI indicated a reliable increase for 5.6% of patients and a reliable decrease for 40.8% of patients. Confirming that perceived and actual growth reflect different processes, they were not related to the same mental health and psychological disposition variables. Moreover, the hypothesis that acquiring positive outcomes from a traumatic event, such as HSCT, requires direct confrontation with the source of distress that was supported in the case of perceived growth but not in the case of actual growth.Conclusions. Retrospective measures such as the PTGI do not appear to assess actual pre- to post-HSCT change. HSCT seems more linked to psychological decline than to growth.

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Fixing the Growth Illusion: New Directions for Research in Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth

Cited by 143 publications

References 41 publications

The relationship between post‐traumatic stress and post‐traumatic growth in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The relationship between post‐traumatic stress and post‐traumatic growth in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Nothing Going On? Exploring the Role of Missed Events in Changes in Subjective Well-Being and the Big Five Personality Traits

Perceived and Actual Growth Following Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation: Longitudinal Evidence of Greater Decline than Growth

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