Posttraumatic Growth and Sexual Violence: A Literature Review

Abstract

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is the positive psychological growth that a person might experience after enduring a traumatic event. PTG is a relatively new area of research identified by researchers because it represents a shift in thinking. Rather than focusing on the negative consequences of trauma, it explores the potential for positive outcomes associated with trauma. Although PTG is well documented across different types of traumas, it is unclear how this kind of growth stems from sexual violence, specifically. This review provides an overview of the literature concerning PTG that is associated with sexual violence. Results across the literature indicate that sexual violence is consistently associated with PTG. However, given the inconsistency in research designs, assessment, and operational definitions used to study PTG, many researchers suggest that it might be difficult to determine how and when PTG occurs. This study provides a literature review of the research on PTG in the aftermath of sexual violence. Important implications for future directions and trauma-based therapy are discussed and include the identification of relevant predictors, the importance of context, and how service providers might benefit from a better understanding of PTG.

And Still I Rise: Resilience Factors Contributing to Posttraumatic Growth in African American Women

“…Although PTG is a multidimensional construct and may vary from person to person, experiencing trauma does not guarantee that this growth will occur (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004). For instance, a systematic review revealed that 25% to 67% of participants across studies reported experiencing PTG (Ulloa et al, 2016). Correlates of PTG include optimism, social support, spirituality, acceptance coping, reappraisal coping, religious coping, and seeking support coping (Prati & Pietrantoni, 2009).…”

Sexual Assault Survivors’ Post-Traumatic Growth: Individual and Community-Level Differences

“…For many researchers, particularly in the field of health care, PTG is a useful construct for understanding the way people struggle to overcome distressing life events and it has many proponents in the literature (Bonanno et al, 2002). There are no universally accepted terms and definitions for the positive changes that can occur as a result of experiencing trauma (see Ulloa, Guzman, Salazar, & Cala, 2016, for review). While terms may not be universal for PTG, the PTG Inventory (PTGI) developed by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996) is widely used in research.…”

Post-Traumatic Growth, Dissociation, and Sexual Revictimization in Female Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors

“…The trauma literature has revealed PTG in survivors of diverse traumatic events including disasters, war, and life-threatening illness (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2006; Linley & Joseph, 2004). Although research on PTG in the aftermath of sexual violence is relatively limited (for review, see Ulloa, Guzman, Salazar, & Cala, 2016), PTG has also been documented in sexual assault survivors (e.g., Frazier, Conlon, & Glaser, 2001; Shakespeare-Finch & Armstrong, 2010) as well as in CSA survivors (Kaye-Tzadok & Davidson-Arad, 2016; Lev-Wiesel, Amir, & Besser, 2004; Shakespeare-Finch & De Dassel, 2009).…”