Personality, Coping and Posttraumatic Growth in Emergency Ambulance Personnel

Exploring Posttraumatic Outcomes as a Function of Childhood Sexual Abuse

“…As with the previous study (Lev-Wiesel et al, 2005), findings confirm that it is possible within the struggle of CSA for survivors to experience PTG. Mean scores on the PTGI suggest that women in this study reported growth scores consistent with other sample participants who had experienced a mix of different trauma types (Morris et al, 2005), emergency service responders (Shakespeare-Finch et al, 2003;Shakespeare-Finch, Gow, & Smith, 2005), and samples of cancer survivors (Carboon et al, 2005). These results indicate that women coping with the effects of CSA, like persons struggling with the consequences of a range of major life crises, can experience PTG.…”

“…For example, a negative relationship between age and PTG has been found in those surviving a diagnosis of cancer (Shakespeare-Finch & Morris, in press). A positive relationship was found in a student population (Morris et al, 2005), and no relationship was found in a large sample of paramedics (Shakespeare-Finch et al, 2003). Limited research has included child populations to date, however preliminary findings provide support for PTG in children (Cryder, Kilmer, Tedeschi, & Calhoun, 2006).…”

“…Three broad areas of growth were identified: (a) perceived changes in self, (b) changes in relationships with others, and (c) changes in philosophy of life. The scale has been used to explore this construct defined on the basis of culture (Asukai et al, 2002;Weiss & Berger, 2006), trauma types (e.g., Cobb, Tedeschi, Calhoun, & Cann, 2006;Lev-Wiesel, Amir, & Besser, 2005;Weiss & Berger, 2006), degree of relatedness to trauma (Shakespeare-Finch, Smith, Gow, Embelton, & Baird, 2003), and varied populations, such as students with a mixture of traumatic experiences (Morris, Shakespeare-Finch, Rieck, & Newbery, 2005;Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). Janoff-Bulman (1992) suggested that traumatic experiences shatter three basic positive assumptions: (a) the illusion of invulnerability, (b) a positive view of the self, and (c) the perception of the world as a meaningful place.…”

Factors Contributing to Posttraumatic Growth and Its Buffering Effect in Adult Children of Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment

“…For example, research supports that minority population members are more likely to perceive benefit and meaning from a traumatic event (Helgeson, Reynolds, & Tomich, 2006). The literature also suggests that cultural differences may play a role in the expression of PTG patterns, especially at the level of spiritual change (Morris, ShakespeareFinch, Rieck, & Newbery, 2005;Shakespeare-Finch, Smith, Gow, Embleton, & Baird, 2003). Age and gender have also been strongly implied to influence the emergence of PTG (Vishnevsky, Cann, Calhoun, Tedeschi, & Demakis, 2010).…”

Coming Out Growth: Conceptualizing and Measuring Stress-Related Growth Associated with Coming Out to Others as a Sexual Minority

“…These correlations were consistent with Bonet et al (2007), suggesting that early sexual experience may function as a marker of an early onset of identity exploration and pave the way for creating a strong sexual minority identity that produces coming out growth later in life. Alternatively, the relationship between sexual exploration and COG may be explained by differences in personality characteristics among individuals who experience both early exploration and coming out growth, as openness to experience has been consistently related to SRG (Costa and McCrea 1986;Jaarsma et al 2006;Shakespeare-Finch et al 2005;Tedeschi and Calhoun 1996). Individuals high on openness may be more able or willing to explore unfamiliar experiences on an emotional, physical, and psychological level, creating more opportunities to experience growth.…”