Does the type of exposure to traumatic events make a difference in posttraumatic growth?

The current study tested the predictor roles of psychological hardiness, perceived stress, time passed through the traumatic event(s), and gender and age on posttraumatic growth in individuals who experienced traumatic events in different ways.

A total of 1,132 participants were included in seven samples of individuals who had experienced trauma in different ways, such as those who experienced the trauma directly (n = 159); those who witnessed trauma (n = 50); those who have a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 172); those who were both directly traumatized, and witnessed trauma (n = 103); those who were both directly traumatized and had a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 261); those who both witnessed the trauma and have a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 131); and those who directly experienced, witnessed the trauma, and have a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 256).

Results have shown that an individual's commitment, which is one subfactor of hardiness and stress level experienced after traumatic events, predicted posttraumatic growth in those who have experienced trauma directly only. However, commitment was a single predictor in persons who have learned of the traumatic events experienced by their relative or close friend. Similarly, commitment and challenge predicted posttraumatic growth in individuals who experienced direct trauma and learned from their relative or close friend's traumatic experience and in persons who witnessed and learned about a relative or close friend. Additionally, these two factors were a significant predictor in a sample of those that experienced three ways of trauma simultaneously.

It seems that regardless of the ways of exposure, hardiness, specifically commitment, plays a crucial role in individual's transforming traumatic experiences into growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).