Coping behavior

Social psychology

Psychiatry

Extraversion and introversion

Posttraumatic growth

Big Five personality traits

Psychology

Posttraumatic stress

Psychotherapist

Coping (psychology)

Clinical psychology

Personality

Optimism

Personal development

Journal of Traumatic Stress

The development of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, an instrument for assessing positive outcomes reported by persons who have experienced traumatic events, is described. This 21-item scale includes factors of New Possibilities, Relating to Others, Personal Strength, Spiritual Change, and Appreciation of Life. Women tend to report more benefits than do men, and persons who have experienced traumatic events report more positive change than do persons who have not experienced extraordinary events. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory is modestly related to optimism and extraversion. The scale appears to have utility in determining how successful individuals, coping with the aftermath of trauma, are in reconstructing or strengthening their perceptions of self, others, and the meaning of events.

The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma