Socio-demographic and Psychological Correlates of Posttraumatic Growth among Korean Americans with a History of Traumatic Life Experiences

Strength-based parenting improves depression outcomes and promotes posttraumatic growth in earthquake survivors: a longitudinal study

Traumatic life experiences such as earthquakes are impactful on individuals' mental health and positive psychological characteristics are key assets for the preservation of mental health after stressful situations. Strength-based parenting and optimism are considered among those strengths to combat psychological problems including depression. The current study aimed to examine the longitudinal mediating effects of optimism between strength-based parenting and depression (model 1) and post-traumatic growth (model 2). Participants included 137 university students ranging in age between 18 and 53 (M = 21.83, SD = 5.41). Results demonstrated that strength-based parenting at baseline significantly and negatively correlated with depression while positive correlations were found with optimism and post-traumatic growth at a six-month follow-up. Moreover, optimism (T2) mediated the relationship between strength-based parenting (T1) and depression (T2) and post-traumatic growth (T2). Thus, this study identified the positive qualities and strengths to combat the adverse psychological effects of traumatic experiences including earthquakes, and deepened the current understanding of how strength-based parenting longitudinally contributes to individuals' positive psychological strengths, processes, and mental health after "the disaster of the century."

Status quo and influencing factors of posttraumatic growth of nurses exposed to nurse-to-nurse horizontal violence: a cross-sectional multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) relieves physical and psychological stress symptoms in nurses who exposed to nurse-to-nurse horizontal violence (HV), has great intervention potential to reverse the negative effects of HV events. Therefore, in-depth exploration of the overall characteristics of PTG in HV-exposed nurses and its influencing factors are of great practical significance to provide them with precise psychological adaptive interventions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the current state of PTG of HV-exposed nurses and its influencing factors.

METHODS

The staged cluster sampling method used to recruit nurses. Nurses completed the Chinese version of the nurse-to-nurse Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ-R), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF), Colquitt's Organizational Justice Measure (OJM), Inclusive Leadership Scale (ILS), 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) and provided their sociodemographic characteristics. Data were collected between February, 2023 ~ March, 2024, and were analyzed using correlation analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and multivariate linear stepwise regression analyses.

RESULTS

The prevalence of HV within eight tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province amounted to 45.03%. On average, nurses scored 18.30 ± 14.33 in PTGI-SF. There were significant differences in PTGI-SF score according to departments (F = 2.589, p < 0.01), and educational background (F = 4.587, p < 0.01). The results of correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between score in CD-RISC-10 (r = 0.120, p < 0.01), DEX (r=-0.069, p < 0.05), and PTGI-SF. The results of multivariate linear stepwise regression showed that resilience, dysexecutive, educational background, and type of department might be the influencing factors of PTG in HV-exposed nurses (R2 = 0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to HV posed a moderate risk for nurses, while PTG levels among HV-exposed nurses were low to moderate. Overall, the current study suggests that educational background, department type, resilience, and dysexecutive were the main factors influencing PTG in HV-exposed nurses. The study found that resilience had a positive effect on PTG, while dysexecutive had a slight negative effect. Consolidation of resilience and alleviation of dysexecutive, while dialectically looking at educational background and department type, is necessary to improve PTG in HV-exposed nurses.

Adverse Childhood events of individuals and its relationship with resilience

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between childhood trauma and psychological resilience in the Turkish Cypriot community and to identify the predictors of psychological resilience.

METHOD

The research was conducted with 354 individuals in a web-based online environment in Northern Cyprus. Data were collected using a "Personal Information Form", the "Adverse Childhood Events Scale", and the "Resilience Scale for Adults". Percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used in the data analysis.

RESULTS

In the study, 16.67 % of the participants were exposed to war or conflict when they were young and 10.17 % had a mental illness. In addition, it was determined that there were statistically significant and negative correlations between the Adverse Childhood Events Scale scores and the scores they got from the Adult Resilience Scale and the sub-dimensions of the scale. Female gender and education level predicted the scores on the Resilience Scale for Adults positively, and the presence of mental disease and the scores on the Adverse Childhood Events Scale negatively predicted the scores on the Resilience Scale for Adults.

CONCLUSION

İn this study, gender, educational status, presence of mental illness, and the total score on the Adverse Childhood Events Scale were determined to be predictive variables affecting resilience. Considering the research findings, it is recommended that nurses plan studies for the protection of the mental health of children and adolescents and the groups exposed to trauma should be psychologically supported to raise individuals with high resilience.

Posttraumatic growth of medical staff during COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unprecedented stress and challenges upon medical staff, potentially resulting in posttraumatic growth (PTG). This scoping review aims to synthesize the existing knowledge on PTG among medical staff during the pandemic by identifying its current status and potential influencing factors. The findings may provide a foundation for future research and interventions to enhance the medical staff's psychological resilience and well-being.

METHODS

Literature was systematically searched on PTG among medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic from 01 January 2020 to 31 December 2022. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), and Wanfang Data. Eligibility criteria included: (1) medical staff as research subjects; (2) a focus on "posttraumatic growth" or "alternative posttraumatic growth" related to the COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic; (3) discussion of the situation and influencing factors of PTG; and (4) study types, such as qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. Two researchers independently selected and extracted study characteristics (study design, study population, region, measurement instruments, and primary outcomes) from the included literature. The data were synthesized qualitatively and descriptively.

RESULTS

Thirty-six papers from 12 countries met the inclusion criteria. Moderate PTG levels were observed among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, with emphasis on "interpersonal relationships," "changes in life philosophy," and "growth in personal competence." Influencing factors included trauma exposure, sociodemographics, psychological characteristics (resilience and positive qualities), coping, and social support.

CONCLUSIONS

This review discovered moderate PTG levels among medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, with critical areas in interpersonal relationships, life philosophy, and personal competence. The identified influencing factors can inform future research and interventions to enhance healthcare workers' psychological resilience and well-being.

Factors Associated with Post-Traumatic Growth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented event that further stimulated the debate on the concept of trauma. To increase knowledge about the traumatic potential of the pandemic, the main objective of this study was to identify, through a systematic literature review, the main factors associated with the adaptive outcome of post-traumatic growth caused by COVID-19. Studies were selected from the PsychInfo, Embase, and PubMed databases, and 29 articles were included at the end of the screening process. The identified factors are of different natures, including personal variables such as personality traits, coping, and cognitive strategies used to face adversity, and interpersonal variables, one of the most important of which is the level of social support. In addition, several results confirmed a relationship between post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress symptoms, as well as indices related to psychological well-being. Finally, the results are discussed by comparing them with those already present in the literature, as well as with some of the main explanatory models of post-traumatic growth. In this regard, some of the factors identified, such as maladaptive coping, avoidance symptoms, optimism, and low-stress tolerance, suggest the possibility that the process of post-traumatic growth may also be characterized by an illusory dimension.

Factors Associated with Mental Health Help-Seeking Among Asian Americans: a Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Asian Americans are underutilizing mental health services. The aim of the current systematic review was to identify protective and risk factors of mental health help-seeking patterns among the disaggregated Asian Americans and to classify types of help.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. The Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework for this review. Thirty-four articles were reviewed, and the studies investigated one of the following Asian ethnic subgroups: Chinese, Filipino, Asian Indian, Korean, or Vietnamese. Data were extracted based on the study characteristics, sample characteristics, and protective and risk factors to mental health help-seeking patterns.

RESULTS

Predisposing factors like female gender, higher levels of English proficiency, and history of mental illness increased the likelihood for help-seeking across several ethnic groups. Interestingly, cues to action and structural factors were under-examined. However, cues to action like having a positive social network did increase the likelihood of using formal support services among Chinese and Filipinx participants. Structural factors like lacking ethnic concordant providers and access to healthcare served as barriers for Korean and Vietnamese participants.

DISCUSSION

The findings showed a need for ethnic tailored approaches when supporting mental health help-seeking patterns. Asian ethnic group's immigration status, acculturation level, and psychological barriers to help-seeking should continue to be emphasized. Psychoeducational groups can be beneficial to expand the knowledge base surrounding mental illness and to link group members to culturally responsive resources.

Dyadic Effects of Fluid Mindset on Psychological Growth in Immigrant Mothers and Their Children: Indirect Effect of Resilience

Immigration research has recently investigated positive adaptation outcomes such as psychological growth. This study tested actor and partner effects between fluid mindset and psychological growth, mediated by resilience, in 200 migrant mother-child dyads from Mainland China to Hong Kong. Mothers' fluid mindset had significant actor and partner effects on their own and their children's psychological growth, whereas children's fluid mindset showed an actor effect. For mothers and children, fluid mindset had significant actor indirect effects on psychological growth via resilience. Mothers' fluid mindset had a significant partner indirect effect on children's psychological growth via children's resilience. The findings have implications for enhancing immigrants' psychological growth by strengthening fluid mindset and considering mothers and children as the intervention unit in resilience programs.

Positive functioning at work during COVID-19: Posttraumatic growth, resilience, and emotional exhaustion in Chinese frontline healthcare workers

Research on traumatic events often emphasizes the importance of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and resilience, yet few studies have explored their trends and their relationship throughout the progression of traumatic events. This paper explores the longitudinal relationship between resilience and PTG, as well as the role of job burnout in this relationship, among frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, who have been exposed to high-risk work environments over extraordinarily long workdays. In Study 1, 134 Chinese frontline healthcare workers completed a three-wave survey (Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3) in February-May 2020. In Study 2, 401 frontline healthcare workers completed a cross-sectional survey. The cross-lagged analysis suggested that resilience at Time 1 positively predicted PTG at Time 2, which in turn positively predicted resilience at Time 3. PTG at Time 1 also positively predicted resilience at Time 2 (Study 1). However, job burnout was negatively related to both resilience and PTG; in particular, emotional exhaustion moderated the link between PTG and resilience (Study 2). Our findings support a cycle of reinforcement between resilience and PTG over time. The positive effect of PTG on resilience, however, is undermined by emotional exhaustion. Implications for future intervention research and workplace support are discussed.

Nurses' perception about posttraumatic growth (PTG) after natural disasters

Background

Natural disasters have become the most common, profound, and universal type of catastrophes over decades. Natural disasters can lead to both negative and positive impacts on survivors. Nurses have an important role in fostering posttraumatic growth (PTG) as a positive psychological adjustment amongst the survivors. However, nurses may have different perceptions of their roles in PTG. Such differences may result in various approaches in supporting PTG as best as possible. Therefore, nurses’ perception regarding PTG needs to be explored.

Method

This study used a descriptive qualitative approach. A total of fourteen nurse participants were included across five different cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed with a thematic method.

Results

The study revealed three themes, as follows (1) PTG is a new concept for nurses, (2) PTG is a condition that needs to be sought by volunteers, and (3) PTG means human-God and human-human positive relationships.

Conclusion

The study highlights the importance of improving nurses’ understanding regarding PTG so that they can deliver appropriate strategies or interventions to support survivors in gaining positive changes after experiencing a natural disaster. The study recommends that knowledge and skills related to PTG should be introduced in undergraduate nursing program.

Predictors of Posttraumatic Growth in Adults Bereaved by Suicide

Background: Although suicide loss has been associated with several negative outcomes, numerous studies have shown that loss survivors can experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) following the suicide loss of a significant other. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms of such growth. Aims: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of PTG among a sample of adult suicide loss survivors and to explore whether the amount of time since the suicide loss moderated the relation between self-reported coping and PTG. Method: Suicide-bereaved adults (n = 307) completed online questionnaires measuring personality, coping, help-seeking attitudes, social support, and PTG. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses showed five independent associations with PTG: time since loss, perceived closeness, help-seeking attitudes, social support, and problem-focused coping. Time since loss did not moderate the relation between any of the self-reported coping styles and PTG. Limitations: The limitations of this study include a cross-sectional design, potential selection bias, no comparison or control group, and unrepresentative sample demographics of suicide loss survivors. Conclusion: Problem-focused coping showed the strongest association with PTG, independent of time since loss, suggesting that this coping style may facilitate growth throughout the grief trajectory.

The association of nursing care perception with coping skills and posttraumatic growth in mental disorders

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Although it is well known that coping with mental disorder is a traumatic experience, studies of the relationships between posttraumatic growth and the variables that can affect it are rarely found in the literature. The studies that do exist usually focus on posttraumatic growth after posttraumatic stress disorder has developed as a result of traumatic life events such as earthquakes, wars, accidents or physical disease. In the literature, there exist few studies of patients diagnosed with psychosis. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study shows that posttraumatic growth can be seen in patients after the diagnosis of mental disorders. Patients who use effective coping methods show more posttraumatic growth. In addition, patients who are satisfied with the nursing care received in the clinic show more posttraumatic growth. This indicates that care delivered by psychiatric nurses contributes to the posttraumatic growth of the patients. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Psychiatric nurses who recognize that suffering a mental disorder is a traumatic experience and that patients can grow from this experience can contribute to the posttraumatic growth of those in their care. When they see signs of posttraumatic growth, nurses can teach patients how to cope with that stress effectively and how to share their feelings, thoughts and experiences related to the situation. In addition, psychosocial interventions such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy and eye movement desensitization can be used to aid posttraumatic growth.

ABSTRACT

Introduction Although it is recognized that suffering a mental illness is a traumatic experience, the fact that this can lead to posttraumatic growth and the variables that may affect the situation are rarely discussed in the literature. Aim This study was conducted to determine the effects of coping styles and nursing care perceptions on posttraumatic growth in mental disorders. Method The descriptive study was conducted at a psychiatric clinic with a personal information form and three-scale test. Results In the study, completed with 122 psychiatric inpatients, it was found that patients were using effective methods to cope with stress, were satisfied with nursing care and had high posttraumatic growth. Moreover, it was found that effective coping styles and satisfaction with nursing care positively affected the posttraumatic growth level of patients. Discussion The results support the proposition that using effective coping styles and seeking professional support after traumatic life events influence posttraumatic growth levels. Implications for practice Psychiatric nurses should be aware of the fact that developing a mental disorder is a traumatic life event after which posttraumatic growth can occur. They should encourage posttraumatic growth by teaching effective coping methods, providing psychiatric care and using psychosocial interventions such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy and eye movement desensitization.