Posttraumatic Growth Following Trauma: Is Growth Accelerated or a Reflection of Cognitive Maturation?

Philippa Eve, Maria Kangas*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    13 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Over the past two decades, there has been an exponential increase in studies investigating posttraumatic growth (PTG) in samples exposed to various traumatic experiences. The prevalence of PTG following trauma has been variable, and mixed findings have emerged pertaining to factors associated with PTG. To date, however, there has been a notable paucity of research that has considered the PTG phenomenon in relation to lifespan developmental, cognitive, and humanistic theories. The objective of this review is to evaluate the prominent theory of PTG proposed by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996) in context of the theories of Erikson and Maslow, as well as Frankl’s theory of meaning-making postadversity. Methodological issues are also considered to inform the advancement of future research in this field.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)354-370
    Number of pages17
    JournalThe Humanistic Psychologist
    Volume43
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2 Oct 2015

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