Examining the relationship between resilience and posttraumatic growth

• Published in: Journal of traumatic stress Vol. 22; no. 4; pp. 282 - 286
• Main Authors: Levine, Stephen Z., Laufer, Avital, Stein, Einat, Hamama-Raz, Yaira, Solomon, Zahava
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germantown Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.08.2009; Wiley
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Humans; Israel - epidemiology; Lebanon; Medical sciences; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Resilience, Psychological; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Warfare; Wounds and Injuries - psychology; Young Adult; Asia; Israel; Lebanon; Social environment; Human; Post-traumatic growth; Terrorism; Anxiety disorder; Mental health; Protective factor; War; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Exposure; Stress; Resilience; Comparative study; Public health
• ISSN: 0894-9867; 1573-6598
• DOI: 10.1002/jts.20409

To extend the literature the present study aims to examine the interrelationships between resilience (defined by a lack of posttraumatic stress disorder following trauma) and posttraumatic growth. Two studies were conducted of Israeli: (a) adolescents exposed to terror (N = 2908), and (b) citizens and army personnel following the second Lebanon War (N = 588). Across studies the results showed that high levels of resilience were associated with the lowest posttraumatic growth scores. The results imply that although growth and resilience are both salutogenic constructs they are inversely related. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.