Posttraumatic Growth Following the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001: Cognitive, Coping, and Trauma Symptom Predictors in an Internet Convenience Sample

Butler, Lisa D.; Blasey, Christine; Garlan, Robert W.; McCaslin, Shannon E.; Azarow, Jay; Chen, Xinhua; Desjardins, Juliette C.; Dimiceli, Sue; Seagraves, David A.; Hastings, T. Andrew; Kraemer, Helena C.; Spiegel, David

doi:10.1528/trau.2005.11.4.247

Cited by 47 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Alternatively, two previous studies investigating distress following both a terrorist attack62 and severe breast cancer63 have demonstrated a curvilinear association between PTSD and PTG, whereby the relationship follows an inverted ‘U’-shaped curve. Similar outcomes have been drawn in military samples64 and may be at play here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Post-traumatic growth in the military: a systematic review

et al. 2018

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BackgroundPost-traumatic growth is defined as positive psychological, social or spiritual growth after a trauma.ObjectivesThis systematic review aimed to identify studies that quantitatively measured post-traumatic growth among (ex-) military personnel, to determine whether there is evidence of growth in this context and whether such growth is associated with any sociodemographic, military, trauma or mental health factors.Data sourcesThe electronic databases PsycInfo, OVIDmedline and Embase were searched for studies published between 2001 and 2017.Study eligibility criteria and participantsPapers were retained if they involved military or ex-military personnel, where some had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.Study appraisalQuality assessment was conducted on all studies.Results21 studies were retained. The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory was employed by 14 studies: means ranged from 32.60 (standard deviation = 14.88) to 59.07 (23.48). The Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory Short Form was used by five studies: means ranged from 17.11 (14.88) to 20.40 (11.88). These values suggest moderate growth. Higher levels of social support, spirituality and rumination and minority ethnicity were most frequently associated with more post-traumatic growth.LimitationsThe involved studies may lack generalisability and methodological quality.ConclusionsOverall, this paper confirms that negative reactions to trauma, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder, are not the only possible outcomes for service personnel, as moderate post-traumatic growth can also be observed.Implications of key findingsInterventions aimed at helping current and former armed forces personnel to identify and promote post-traumatic growth post-conflict may be beneficial for their well-being.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Post-traumatic growth in the military: a systematic review

et al. 2018

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“…Several studies have specifically explored the relationship between benefit finding and psychological distress following terrorism (Ai, Cascio, Santangelo, & Evans-Campbell, 2005; Butler et al, 2005; Hobfoll, Canetti-Nisim, et al, 2006; Val & Linley, 2006). Ai and colleagues (2005) found that hope and spiritual meaning following September 11, 2001 was related to less depression and anxiety symptom severity in a sample of college students.…”

Section: Benefit Finding and Psychological Distressmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ai and colleagues (2005) found that hope and spiritual meaning following September 11, 2001 was related to less depression and anxiety symptom severity in a sample of college students. In a large-scale internet-based study, Butler et al (2005) found that initial reports of benefit finding were related to greater symptoms of PTSD. In this same study, a curvilinear relationship was found between PTSD and benefit finding such that benefit finding was related to moderate levels of PTSD symptom severity.…”

Section: Benefit Finding and Psychological Distressmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Defensive Nature of Benefit Finding During Ongoing Terrorism: An Examination of a National Sample of Israeli Jews

Hall¹,

Hobfoll²,

Canetti³

et al. 2009

Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology

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A study examining the effects of terrorism on a national sample of 1,136 Jewish adults was conducted in Israel via telephone surveys, during the Second Intifada. The relationship between reports of positive changes occurring subsequent to terrorism exposure (i.e., Benefit finding), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, and negative outgroup attitudes toward Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCI) was examined. Benefit finding was related to greater PTSD symptom severity. Further, Benefit finding was related to greater threat perception of PCI and ethnic exclusionism of PCI. Findings were consistent with hypotheses derived from theories of outgroup bias and support the anxiety buffering role of social affiliation posited by terror management theory. This study suggests that benefit finding may be a defensive coping strategy when expressed under the conditions of ongoing terrorism and external threat.

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“…Much of PTG research is based on a broad range of trauma event types, from cancer survivors12 to survivors of terrorist atrocities 13. These may not be comparable with military traumas due to differences such as the repeated exposure to trauma common to military contexts or the lack of agency associated with acting in response to military command, so it is possible that findings from much of the extant research base may not be generalisable to the veteran population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experience of post-traumatic growth in UK veterans with PTSD: a qualitative study

2016

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Little is known about the experience of post-traumatic growth (PTG) within UK veterans. To address this, our study aims to understand the lived experience of PTG from the perspective of UK veterans who have received treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. The study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore qualitative interviews conducted with a sample of veterans who reported experiences of PTG in a quantitative measure. The themes drawn from the interviews describe the veterans' lived experiences of growth following trauma and their understanding of how it occurred. Similarities and differences with the dimensions of a widely used PTG quantitative measure are outlined, and a possible veteran experience of growth and how it develops is described. The conclusions provide a basis for further investigation into the experience, acceptability and clinical application of PTG within a UK veteran-specific population.

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Posttraumatic Growth Following the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001: Cognitive, Coping, and Trauma Symptom Predictors in an Internet Convenience Sample

Cited by 47 publications

References 34 publications

Post-traumatic growth in the military: a systematic review

Post-traumatic growth in the military: a systematic review

The Defensive Nature of Benefit Finding During Ongoing Terrorism: An Examination of a National Sample of Israeli Jews

Experience of post-traumatic growth in UK veterans with PTSD: a qualitative study

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