Predicting Posttraumatic Growth in Veterans: The Role of Coping Mechanisms and Personality

Abstract

It is already widely established that there are negative psychological effects following a traumatic event, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there is some indication that individuals may experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) following such events. This study explores factors including coping mechanisms, PTSD symptom severity, and personality characteristics to better understand the process that facilitates growth following a trauma. The sample included 271 veterans who completed surveys measuring PTSD symptoms, trauma exposure, personality traits, and posttraumatic growth. Results showed that adaptive coping mechanisms were predictive of posttraumatic growth, and an inverted-U shaped relationship was found to best explain the relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG. Among veterans with PTSD, those who experienced growth following trauma exposure scored higher on extraversion, agreeableness, openness, and lower on neuroticism and pessimism. In addition, all five subscales of the posttraumatic growth inventory were significantly correlated with adaptive coping mechanisms. As cognitive coping mechanisms have been suggested to be changeable, these findings have potential implications for clinical intervention.