Definition
Posttraumatic growth is the experience of positive change after a traumatic or negative life event. It is theorized to be the positive or adaptive outcome of a meaning-making process in which individuals are forced into a reevaluation process of their worldviews after experiencing a negative or life-changing event. Through this reevaluation process, some individuals may develop a more coherent understanding of themselves and the world. Common examples of growth after trauma include changes in life values, improved relationships with family and/or friends, growth in spiritual beliefs, and increased personal strength, empathy, or patience.
Description
The concept of growth from adversity is an ancient concept based in many religions and philosophical systems. However, it has been a formal focus of investigation in psychology only in the past few decades, coinciding with the...
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Tran, V. (2013). Posttraumatic Growth. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_979
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_979
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