Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Early Adolescent Male Mice
Published on: January 24, 2025
Positive and negative life changes following sexual assault
P Frazier1, A Conlon, T Glaser
1Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA. pfraz@umn.edu
Abstract:
A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate (a) the timing and course of posttraumatic growth and (b) the relations between positive and negative life changes and posttraumatic distress among recent female sexual assault survivors (N = 171). Most survivors reported positive change even at 2 weeks postassault. Positive changes generally increased over time and negative changes decreased, although change in different domains followed different courses and there was significant individual variability in change patterns. Both positive and negative changes were associated with distress in expected ways, although the relations with negative changes were stronger. The least distress at 12 months was reported by those who noted positive life changes at both 2 weeks and 12 months postassault. Implications for theory and research on posttraumatic growth are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Bullying
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Genital
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
Attachment Styles

