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Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences pp 1–4Cite as

Posttraumatic Growth

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Synonyms

Adversarial growth; Altruism born of suffering; Benefit-finding; Growth through adversity; Heightened existential awareness; Perceived benefit; Positive by-products; Positive changes in outlook; Positive psychological changes; Stress-related growth; Thriving; Transformational positive coping

Definition

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) broadly refers to positive psychological changes that individuals may experience as a result of struggling with adversity. Frequently reported changes include a greater sense of personal strength, deeper appreciation for life, better understanding of spiritual matters, closer relationships, and an increased sense of new possibilities for one’s future (Tedeschi and Calhoun 2004). Related constructs such as stress-related growth encompass similar changes: shifts in life philosophy, personality, social relationships, and coping skills (Park et al. 1996). PTG is thought to arise from individuals’ strugglewith adversity and from the meaning they make of...

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References

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Acknowledgments

This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle Division. The contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle Division, Seattle, WA, USA

    Ann Marie Roepke

Authors
  1. Ann Marie Roepke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ann Marie Roepke .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Virgil Zeigler-Hill

  2. Oakland University, Rochester, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA

    Bradley A. Green

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© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

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Roepke, A.M. (2017). Posttraumatic Growth. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_929-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_929-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28099-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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