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Investigating the Existence of Trauma-Specific Growth: A Comparison of Two Populations

Warbel, Amanda L.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1221478051

Abstract Details

2008, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Counseling Psychology.
Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is defined as, “positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances” (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004, p. 1). These positive psychological changes are thought to occur as the result of the rebuilding and restructuring of an individual’s core assumptions about the world and self that occur when a person experiences a traumatic event. In the current study, two specific trauma types, sexual assault and breast cancer diagnosis, were examined to see how these differing types of trauma may influence which core cognitive schemas are challenged as the result of experiencing the trauma and the domains in which PTG occurs. Participants (N = 105) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale (IES; Horowitz, Wilner, & Alvarez, 1979), the World Assumption Scale (WAS; Janoff-Bulman, 1989a), and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). An exploratory factor analysis with this sample resulted in a five factor structure for the WAS and a one factor structure for the PTGI. Sexual assault survivors and breast cancer survivors did not differ on any of the five domains of the WAS. However, breast cancer survivors scored significantly higher than the sexual assault survivors on the PTGI. These findings may mean that the core cognitive schemas related to trauma do not differ based on the type of trauma that is experienced. These findings also indicate that the trauma type does influence an individual’s experience of posttraumatic growth, with breast cancer survivors experiencing higher levels of posttraumatic growth, as measured by the PTGI, than sexual assault survivors. Implications of these findings and areas of future research are delineated.
Charles Waehler, PhD (Advisor)
170 p.
Psychology
posttraumatic growth; sexual assault survivors; breast cancer survivors; PTGI; WAS

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Warbel, A. L. (2008). Investigating the Existence of Trauma-Specific Growth: A Comparison of Two Populations [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1221478051

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Warbel, Amanda. Investigating the Existence of Trauma-Specific Growth: A Comparison of Two Populations. 2008. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1221478051.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Warbel, Amanda. "Investigating the Existence of Trauma-Specific Growth: A Comparison of Two Populations." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1221478051

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1221478051
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© 2008, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.