Original scientific paper

Growth Following Adversity: Positive Psychological Perspectives on Posttraumatic Stress

Stephen Joseph ; Centre for Trauma, Resilience, and Growth, University of Nottingham, UK

Abstract

The impact of traumatic events is well documented within the clinical psychology literature where it is recognized that people who experience traumatic events may go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At first glance one might ask what the relevance of positive psychology is to the study of trauma. But a number of literatures and philosophies throughout human history have conveyed the idea that there is personal gain to be found in suffering. The observation that stressful and traumatic events can provoke positive psychological changes is also contained in the major religions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Within existential philosophy and humanistic psychology it has also been recognized that positive changes can come about as a result of suffering. But it is only within the last decade that the topic of growth following adversity has become a focus for empirical work. In this paper I will provide an overview of the subject and the research we have conducted at the Centre for Trauma, Resilience, and Growth (CTRG).

Keywords

Posttraumatic growth; stress-related growth; adversarial growth; posttraumatic stress

Hrčak ID:

48217

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/48217

Publication date:

15.12.2009.

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