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Folger_Dissertation_Final_2016.pdf (910.45 KB)

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The Impact of Savoring the Moment and Psychological Resilience on Positive Mental Health Outcome Following Interpersonal Violence, Loss, and Traumatic Loss Experiences

Folger, Susan Frances
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7343-0720
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1466777670

Abstract Details

2016, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Psychology.
Although there has been considerable research on the negative impact of stressful and traumatic events, research aimed at understanding the processes involved in promoting positive outcomes is less well developed. Prior studies have demonstrated the benefits of positive emotion and specific dispositional characteristics in these situations. The present study extended this research by exploring how two potential protective factors, savoring the moment beliefs (a positive emotion regulation strategy) and the trait-like characteristic of psychological resilience, jointly contributed to adaptive functioning in a variety of domains (i.e. psychological well-being (PWB), low level of depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic growth (PTG)). Participants were college students who reported interpersonal violence (IPV; n = 192), traumatic loss (n = 129), or loss (n = 203) as their most significant stressor or trauma. Analyses explored whether savoring the moment and psychological resilience moderated the impact of trauma group on outcome when comparing two groups to each other. Other risk variables (i.e., time since the event, degree to which the event felt resolved, and cumulative trauma exposure) and potential gender differences were considered, and predictors of savoring the moment were explored. Findings indicated that savoring the moment and psychological resilience were generally beneficial, though their impact differed across outcome variables. Both variables predicted higher PWB. Savoring the moment predicted fewer depressive symptoms, while psychological resilience was not a significant predictor of depressive symptoms. Psychological resilience generally predicted greater PTG, while savoring was beneficial in certain contexts for PTG. Differences that emerged between groups suggested that the IPV group was not functioning as well as the other groups, and some surprising moderation findings emerged for group comparisons. Additionally, greater resolution predicted more positive outcomes and higher levels of savoring. A more extensive trauma history predicted worse functioning but also higher PTG, and identifying as female predicted higher levels of savoring, depressive symptoms, and PTG. Study results deepen our understanding of adaptive functioning in the context of interpersonal trauma. Additionally, several clinical interventions are highlighted as a means of generating positive emotions, enhancing savoring beliefs, and fostering psychological resilience for those who experienced interpersonal violence, loss, or traumatic loss.
Margaret Wright (Committee Chair)
99 p.
Clinical Psychology
Interpersonal violence; Loss; Traumatic loss; Savoring; Psychological resilience; Well-being; Posttraumatic growth

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Folger, S. F. (2016). The Impact of Savoring the Moment and Psychological Resilience on Positive Mental Health Outcome Following Interpersonal Violence, Loss, and Traumatic Loss Experiences [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1466777670

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Folger, Susan. The Impact of Savoring the Moment and Psychological Resilience on Positive Mental Health Outcome Following Interpersonal Violence, Loss, and Traumatic Loss Experiences. 2016. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1466777670.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Folger, Susan. "The Impact of Savoring the Moment and Psychological Resilience on Positive Mental Health Outcome Following Interpersonal Violence, Loss, and Traumatic Loss Experiences." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1466777670

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.