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Examining the relationship between resilience and posttraumatic growth
Author(s) -
Levine Stephen Z.,
Laufer Avital,
Stein Einat,
HamamaRaz Yaira,
Solomon Zahava
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20409
Subject(s) - posttraumatic growth , posttraumatic stress , psychological resilience , psychology , resilience (materials science) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , psychotherapist , physics , thermodynamics
To extend the literature the present study aims to examine the interrelationships between resilience (defined by a lack of posttraumatic stress disorder following trauma) and posttraumatic growth. Two studies were conducted of Israeli: (a) adolescents exposed to terror ( N = 2908), and (b) citizens and army personnel following the second Lebanon War ( N = 588). Across studies the results showed that high levels of resilience were associated with the lowest posttraumatic growth scores. The results imply that although growth and resilience are both salutogenic constructs they are inversely related. The theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.