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

The literature on post-traumatic growth (PTG) has been instrumental in highlighting the human capacity to overcome adversity, illuminating the different pathways people may follow when confronted with adversity. Although the theme of strength from adversity is central to many disciplines and certain cultural narratives, these claims lack robust empirical evidence. This literature gap can be traced to a reliance on retrospective assessments for methodology and difficulty in determining which outcomes are most appropriate for studying PTG.

Redesigning Research on Post-Traumatic Growth offers new directions for PTG 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. The book is divided into four sections: current challenges in examining PTG, methodological advancements, research in specific populations, and opportunities for further research. Introductory chapters identify the limits of traditional PTG assessments and find solutions in prospective longitudinal studies. From here, this methodology is put into practice with unique case examples from studies with Syrian refugees, older adults, and couples coping with a cancer diagnosis. The book concludes with calls for further research on event characteristics of adversity, as well as narrative identity, wisdom, and open-mindedness as key growth outcomes. Redesigning Research on Post-Traumatic Growth will serve as the starting point for the next generation of research on PTG

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.