Post Traumatic Growth Essay

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The posttraumatic growth is extensively studied during recent years in view of psychology's shift from interpreting an individual in terms of mental illness to more positive approaches focused on individuals' well being (Sęk & Pasikowski, 2001). Trauma, although causing severe distress, unpleasant emotions or pain, is considered also as an event triggering a sequence of processes which, desirably, lead to the personal development and enhanced well-being. There are several factors which play important role in the process of psychological recovery from experienced trauma. Research suggests that hope is an important factor marking positive direction of the consecutive changes taking place during the process of acknowledging the occurrence of traumatic event, assigning meaning to it and internalizing its features into individual's status quo. It is allegedly a good predictor of post-traumatic growth, as a direct consequence of these changes. Researchers define post-traumatic growth as an ongoing and dynamic process, not as a point of dramatic change, which …show more content…

These may include terminal illness (Gum & Snyder, 2002), realistic life threat (Błaszczak, 2004) or even an indirect traumatic exposure (Manning-Jones, Terte & Stephens, 2015). [MORE] The common thread for these events will be an undeniable impact they have on an individuals thinking and behaviour. However, despite the negative affective tone of the event itself, its meaning for an individual and difficulties faced during the process of adaptation to the new situation, post-traumatic growth in a long term provides for enhanced life satisfaction (cit. X), happiness (cit. X) and general well-being (cit.

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