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Post-traumatic stress disorder
Published in Alison Brodrick, Emma Williamson, Listening to Women After Childbirth, 2020
Alison Brodrick, Emma Williamson
Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in expanding our focus beyond psychopathology and looking as well at beneficial psychological processes. One such process to receive attention has been the area of ‘post-traumatic growth’. This can be conceptualised as experiencing positive changes in beliefs or functioning as a result of challenging life events or circumstances (Ayers, 2017). It describes the experience of people who do not just recover from a traumatic event, and return to their pre-trauma functioning, but as a result of their struggle with the trauma, go on to achieve further individual development (Zoellner & Maercker, 2006). This development may take the form of personal benefits, new life priorities, a deepened sense of meaning, or a deepened sense of connection with others or with a higher power. Zoellner and Maercker (2006) explain that post-traumatic growth and PTSD are distinct, independent constructs. Although each construct exists on a continuum, they do not represent opposite ends of the same continuum of adaptation to trauma. Growth and distress may exist simultaneously. Post-traumatic growth, or to use an alternative, but generally synonymous term, ‘benefit-finding’, has been shown in a meta-analysis to be linked to more intrusive and avoidant thoughts about the trauma, although also related to less depression and more positive affect (Helgeson et al, 2006).
Perils of the Helping Professions
Published in Lisa D. Hinz, Beyond Self-Care for Helping Professionals, 2018
Despite these challenges to professional well-being and longevity, recent research demonstrates that the development of secondary traumatic stress or compassion fatigue is not inevitable (Figley & Ludick, 2017; Malinowski, 2014; Newell, et al., 2016; Turgoose & Maddox, 2017). It is possible to remain resilient as a Helping Professional and even to develop Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) in response to trauma work. As the name implies, Post Traumatic Growth is a positive condition associated with finding new meaning in life after hardship, viewing the self as resilient and capable, developing a sense of hope for the future, and valuing relationships differently (Bartoskova, 2015; Forgeard, Mecklenburg, Lacasse, & Jayawickreme, 2014; McCormack & Adams, 2016; Želeskov-Doric´, Hedrih, & Doric´, 2012). Factors that contribute to the development of growth rather than professional burnout include maintaining good self-care practices, developing a sense of detachment from professional stressors, having a positive sense of job satisfaction, and acknowledging a strong network of social support. These factors will be fully developed throughout the course of this book to provide you with a comprehensive foundation in life enrichment that can serve to prevent and/or ameliorate secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.
Adjustment and anxiety
Published in Ad (Sandy) Macleod, Ian Maddocks, The Psychiatry of Palliative Medicine, 2018
Ad (Sandy) Macleod, Ian Maddocks
Psychological development, maturation and ‘growth’ can be precipitated by difficult and traumatic events, such as severe medical illness. This phenomenon has long been recognised in philosophy, literature and religion.49,50 Some patients consider themselves ‘better persons’ consequent upon this experience. Improved interpersonal relationships, an enhanced sense of spirituality and a greater purpose in life, in patient and partner, are examples of such changes.51 Estimates of the prevalence of these consequences range from 40% to 70%.52,53 Stable pre-cancer personality and social functioning are predictive factors. There is a consistently linear relationship between the degree of trauma and growth.51 Greater stress related to the illness and greater perceived risks to life are associated with adversarial growth.53 The precipitating event is required to be ‘seismic’, sufficient to shake basic assumptions about the self and the world.54 Post-traumatic growth (PTG) can be accompanied by post-traumatic stress symptoms, however the aetiological stressors in PTG and PTSD differ. Fear may induce cognitive and behavioural change, fright can result in negative sequelae including PTSD.55 If illness psychologically shakes rather than startles an individual’s world, it can be a positive psychological event.
Developing and Evaluating an Online Post-Traumatic Growth Program for Firefighters
Published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2023
Previous studies have confirmed the relationships between post-traumatic growth and relevant variables by investigating their roles in various traumatic experiences based on the post-traumatic growth theory (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004), including disease, bereavement, war, sexual violence, and traffic accidents (Brooks et al., 2016; Gortner et al., 2006; Kang, 2019). Some studies have focused on firefighters, but mainly to determine whether specific variables were associated with their post-traumatic growth (Ebrahim & Alothman, 2021; Wu et al., 2015; Yu, 2014). Earlier studies have found that individuals with high personal positivity, optimism, and resilience are considered to have high post-traumatic growth (Li & Hu, 2022; Zięba et al., 2022). In addition, individuals with high social support were found to have a high level of post-traumatic growth (Donovan, 2022; Ebrahim & Alothman, 2021; Sörensen et al. 2021). In particular, studies have shown that social support is more effective in increasing post-traumatic growth than reducing post-traumatic stress, and that peer support is the most influential among social supports (Donovan, 2022; Isaac & Buchanan, 2021). Studies also found that post-traumatic growth had a negative correlation with intrusive rumination that caused negative thoughts, and a positive correlation with deliberate rumination that was trying to understand the meaning of the traumatic event in a positive way (Cui et al., 2021; Zięba et al., 2022).
Post-traumatic growth: Health professionals as mothers of adult children with schizophrenia
Published in Health Care for Women International, 2020
Debra Klages, Leah East, Kim Usher, Debra Jackson
Due to the unpredictable and cyclical nature of schizophrenia, the intensity of their mothering practices fluctuated. By acknowledging the constraining effects in relation to their child’s diagnosis, the mothers were not attached to an imaginary relationship with their current reality, which has been described by Berlant (2011) as “cruel optimism.” Nevertheless, periods of recovery and resolution allowed them to recoup sufficiently to share their wisdom with others. Their unique life cycles enabled them to see the mental health system from an “insider” perspective and they became empowered to use their voices to advocate for others. Research has indicated that self-disclosure and experiences of compassionate and accepting reactions can foster reciprocity between health professionals (Lindstrom et al., 2013) and aid in the future development of post-traumatic growth.
Developing an Occupation-Centred Framework for Trauma Intervention
Published in Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 2020
Occupational therapists are ideally positioned to address the occupational performance issues that result from trauma, and this paper presents an evidence-informed clinical reasoning framework for use with this complex population. Occupational therapists can use an activity participation lens to work with clients in their home and community environments, including families and support networks in the therapeutic process (Edgelow et al., 2019; Torchalla et al., 2019). Occupational therapists can promote a recovery-oriented focus in the mental health interventions they provide, where clients learn to live full lives, even in the face of ongoing symptoms that, for a significant minority, continue to meet the threshold of clinical diagnosis (Edgelow & Krupa, 2011; Krupa et al., 2010; Norris et al., in press). Additionally, developments in the field of posttraumatic growth have shown that it is possible for those with work-related trauma to thrive and experience positive adaptation despite the presence of PTSD symptoms (Norris et al., in press).