Redesigning Research on Post-traumatic Growth : Challenges, Pitfalls, and New Directions

Redesigning Research on Post-Traumatic Growth offers new directions for post-traumatic growth research. The book illustrates the benefits of research designs that incorporate multiple methods of assessment and highlights the value of integrating various disciplines, such as philosophy and multiple areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, developmental, health, and personality) for more holistic understanding of the human capacity to overcome adversity.

Frank J. Infurna, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University. Dr. Infurna's professional work focuses on resilience to major life stressors and psychosocial factors that contribute to healthy aging outcomes across adulthood and old age. His research on major life stressors has shown that contrary to previous research, resilience is not the modal response to major life stressors, but in fact individuals typically show substantial declines in psychological functioning, followed by gradual improvements near-previous levels.

Eranda Jayawickreme, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Senior Research Fellow at the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University. Dr. Jayawickreme's research focuses on post-traumatic growth as positive personality change, moral personality, wisdom, well-being and integrative theories of personality. His work with populations in Rwanda, Sri Lanka, and the USA has made substantial contributions to further understanding whether and how growth is possible following adversity.