Can mindfulness facilitate posttraumatic growth in breast cancer patients? The mediating role of illness perceptions and positive emotions.

The current observational study aimed to examine the relationship between mindfulness and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among patients with breast cancer. Additionally, it explores the mediating role of illness perceptions and positive emotions. A total of 697 women with breast cancer were recruited from four clinical sites as part of the Bounce project in Finland, Portugal, Italy, and Israel. The study measures were mindfulness (MAAS), illness perceptions (IPQ), positive affect (PANAS), and post-traumatic growth (PTGI) at three time points: near the time of diagnosis, 6 months, and 12 months post-diagnosis. A higher level of mindfulness was associated with perceptions of the illness as less chronic. Specifically, the perception of a limited timeline of breast cancer was associated with positive emotions, thus leading to enhanced PTG. Emphasis should be placed on promoting mindfulness, elaborating on illness perceptions, and maintaining positive affect as part of clinical interventions for PTG among breast cancer patients.

The Silver Lining of Posttraumatic Growth around the Dark Side of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A School-Based Intervention with Mindfulness and Character Strengths Practices among Children.

The theory of posttraumatic growth (PTG) proposes that from life difficulties positive changes can happen, such as deepened personal relationships and an awareness of new possibilities in life. PTG can occur naturally or can be facilitated. This study aimed to promote PTG through a school-based intervention of eight sessions of 45 min each with mindfulness and character strengths practices (the so-called "The exploration of happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic"). The study conducted assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (i.e., one month after the intervention). The post-intervention results showed that the participants in the intervention group experienced an improvement in PTG, well-being, mindfulness, strengths use, and PTS symptoms compared to the children in the control group. Furthermore, these positive changes were sustained at follow-up. The findings of this study highlight that mindfulness-based strengths practices can increase positive outcomes (i.e., well-being, posttraumatic growth) and reduce negative psychological symptoms (PTS) among children. The implications for theory and practice are discussed, and detailed appendices for practitioners are provided.

Association of Rumination and Metacognition with Posttraumatic Growth in Parents of Children with Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to examine the association of rumination, metacognition, and posttraumatic with growth in parents of children diagnosed with cancer. DATA SOURCES: The study adopted a descriptive correlational design, and participants (N = 103) were parents of children with cancer. The study was conducted online through the social media platforms of three cancer associations. Data were collected using the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30, the Event Related Rumination Inventory, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed a positive correlation between deliberate rumination and metacognition with posttraumatic growth, while a negative correlation was observed between intrusive rumination and posttraumatic growth. Furthermore, deliberate rumination, intrusive rumination, and metacognition collectively accounted for 30% of the variance in posttraumatic growth among parents of children with cancer. These results underscore the significant influence of rumination and metacognition in facilitating posttraumatic growth in this specific population. Consequently, interventions aimed at fostering deliberate rumination hold substantial potential for promoting posttraumatic growth among parents of children diagnosed with cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: This research guides nurses in addressing rumination, metacognition, and posttraumatic growth in parents of children with cancer. By adopting a holistic approach, nurses can enhance parents' well-being and resilience in the face of a child's cancer diagnosis.

The Effect of Mindfulness on Posttraumatic Growth of Mothers of Premature Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) in mothers of premature infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Iran. Sixty mothers were selected by convenience sampling and assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received two MBSR sessions each week over the course of three weeks. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) was used to collect data before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention. Based on repeated measures ANOVA, group-by-time interaction effect was significant and there was a statistically significant difference in the mean PTG scores of mothers in the two groups over time (p = 0.004). MBSR increased PTG in mothers. As a result, it is suggested that this approach be used in psychological support programs for mothers who have premature infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units.

Psychosocial interventions on the posttraumatic growth of adults with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: It has been increasingly recognized that some people experience post-traumatic growth (PTG) as a result of struggling with cancer. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to identify psychosocial interventions that might facilitate PTG in adults with cancer. METHODS: A search was conducted in PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and ProQuest up to 16 September 2022. The PRISMA guidelines were followed; all included interventional studies had to comprise 30 or more adults with cancer, using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, from 1994 forward. RESULTS: A total of 2731 articles were retrieved, 1028 of those were screened and 37 unique trials were included (46 articles). A large number of studies were published since 2018 (52.4%), were randomized controlled trials (43.2%), and had group interventions (34.8%), including mainly female participants (83.8%) with a single cancer type (54.1%). Most interventions (75.7%) were moderately to highly effective in increasing PTG (d = 0.65, 95% CI 0.39-0.91) with the most effective interventions using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (d = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.05-2.44), Mindfulness-based (d = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.14-0.94) and Education, Peer Support and Health Coaching interventions (d = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.1-0.46). Expression-based and Positive Psychology-based approaches also showed promising results. Notably, the majority of studies had a high risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: PTG facilitation is a promising field that should be pursued as it not only allows people with cancer to overcome their trauma but also results in them going over and above their pre-cancer state, enhancing resilience, health, and well-being.

A Trauma-Informed, Geospatially Aware, Just-in-Time Adaptive mHealth Intervention to Support Effective Coping Skills Among People Living With HIV in New Orleans: Development and Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, Greater New Orleans, Louisiana, was home to 7048 people living with HIV-1083 per 100,000 residents, 2.85 times the US national rate. With Louisiana routinely ranked last in indexes of health equity, violent crime rates in Orleans Parish quintupling national averages, and in-care New Orleans people living with HIV surviving twice the US average of adverse childhood experiences, accessible, trauma-focused, evidence-based interventions (EBIs) for violence-affected people living with HIV are urgently needed. OBJECTIVE: To meet this need, we adapted Living in the Face of Trauma, a well-established EBI tailored for people living with HIV, into NOLA GEM, a just-in-time adaptive mobile health (mHealth) intervention. This study aimed to culturally tailor and refine the NOLA GEM app and assess its acceptability; feasibility; and preliminary efficacy on care engagement, medication adherence, viral suppression, and mental well-being among in-care people living with HIV in Greater New Orleans. METHODS: The development of NOLA GEM entailed identifying real-time tailoring variables via a geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) study (n=49; aim 1) and place-based and user-centered tailoring, responsive to the unique cultural contexts of HIV survivorship in New Orleans, via formative interviews (n=12; aim 2). The iOS- and Android-enabled NOLA GEM app leverages twice-daily GEMA prompts to offer just-in-time, in-app recommendations for effective coping skills practice and app-delivered Living in the Face of Trauma session content. For aim 3, the pilot trial will enroll an analytic sample of 60 New Orleans people living with HIV individually randomized to parallel NOLA GEM (intervention) or GEMA-alone (control) arms at a 1:1 allocation for a 21-day period. Acceptability and feasibility will be assessed via enrollment, attrition, active daily use through paradata metrics, and prevalidated usability measures. At the postassessment time point, primary end points will be assessed via a range of well-validated, domain-specific scales. Care engagement and viral suppression will be assessed via past missed appointments and self-reported viral load at 30 and 90 days, respectively, and through well-demonstrated adherence self-efficacy measures. RESULTS: Aims 1 and 2 have been achieved, NOLA GEM is in Beta, and all aim-3 methods have been reviewed and approved by the institutional review board of Tulane University. Recruitment was launched in July 2023, with a target date for follow-up assessment completion in December 2023. CONCLUSIONS: By leveraging user-centered development and embracing principles that elevate the lived expertise of New Orleans people living with HIV, mHealth-adapted EBIs can reflect community wisdom on posttraumatic resilience. Sustainable adoption of the NOLA GEM app and a promising early efficacy profile will support the feasibility of a future fully powered clinical trial and potential translation to new underserved settings in service of holistic survivorship and well-being of people living with HIV. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05784714; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05784714. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/47151.

Narratives of holistic mental health recovery in New Zealand Defence Force personnel.

Research on military mental health recovery has tended to focus on therapy outcomes while backgrounding the role of diverse healing influences. The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is a bicultural military integrated with Maori customs and cultural perspectives on holistic health and wellbeing. This study used narrative analysis to examine the semi-structured interviews of 21 active duty NZDF personnel who had accessed mental healthcare to understand what factors contributed to their return to wellness. Narratives described an orientation toward recovery as a process, where many interrelated wellbeing and social factors together supported the return to health. Culturally available Maori wellbeing metaphors were adopted as heuristics by service members in their storying of growth and healing. Findings are considered in terms of how wellbeing and recovery are conceptualized and promoted within militaries with diverse cultures. Discussion focuses on how narratives within military institutions can promote resilience and support service member recovery from mental distress.

Racial Identity and Mindfulness as Predictors of Posttraumatic Growth in Black Adults Experiencing Race-Based Trauma.

Racial discrimination and race-based trauma (RBT) have led to the development of various negative psychological and physiological effects among Black adults in the USA. There is a lack of understanding in relation to how various psychosocial factors influence posttraumatic growth (PTG) in the context of RBT among Black adults. The authors examined associations of RBT, racial identity, and mindfulness with PTG among Black adults while controlling for gender, household income, and duration of trauma. The sample consisted of 134 self-identified Black adults who met the criteria for RBT from the USA. The hierarchical regression analysis showed the final model with all the predictors accounted for 35% of the total variance of PTG, with racial identity and mindfulness facets accounting for 26% of the variance. The study provides a foundation for future research addressing RBT and promoting PTG in Black adults.

Mediating role of spirituality on the relationships between posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among patients with cancer: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study explores the impact of posttraumatic stress (PTS) on posttraumatic growth (PTG) and verifies the mediating effect of spirituality among patients with cancer. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional correlational design. This study surveyed 141 hospitalized patients over 20 years of age diagnosed with cancer. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling from a regional hospital in Taiwan. Data were collected from January to April 2021. Measurements included sociodemographic and disease-related information and data from the following self-report questionnaires: Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index-Short Form, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and Spiritual Health Scale-Short Form. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were used to analyze the mediating effect of spiritual health on PTS and PTG. Results: PTS and spirituality were negatively correlated, spirituality, and PTG were positively correlated, and PTS had no correlation with PTG. Spirituality fully presented a mediating role between PTS and PTG. Conclusions: Patients' spirituality should be regarded as an important variable that can impact stress appraisal and improve the patient's PTG when a diagnosis of cancer is received. Assessing spiritual health at regular intervals and integrating spiritual care with clinical care could decrease PTS and improve PTG for patients with cancer.

Developmental Impact of Early Parental Death: Sustaining Posttraumatic Growth Throughout the Lifespan.

Impacting millions of youth across the globe, early parental death is an important topic to investigate. This causal-comparative study (N = 256) examined a group of young adults who experienced a parental death during adolescence and a group of young adults who had not experienced an early parental death. The researchers examined the psychosocial developmental impact of early parental death and developed a predictive model of posttraumatic growth (PTG) for young adults who have experienced early parental death. When compared to non-bereaved peers, young adults who experienced an early parental death had lower psychosocial developmental strength. The findings of the study emphasized social support, spirituality, and psychosocial development as significant predictors of PTG in young adults who experienced an early parental death. The study also provided insight into sustaining PTG throughout the lifespan. Implications for the counseling profession are considered.

Comparing Disease-Specific and Generic Quality of Life in Korean Breast Cancer Survivors Using the FACT-B and QLI: The Importance of Instrument Selection.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) has become an important indicator for evaluating patients' symptoms and their overall satisfaction with life. Thus, examining QOL is essential for fully understanding the life satisfaction of breast cancer survivors (BCS). However, selecting the appropriate instrument for QOL measurement is challenging, and few studies have compared disease-specific and generic QOL measures and how they reflect the impact of cancer-related symptoms on QOL in BCS. We examined QOL in BCS using both disease-specific and generic instruments and compared their representation of the QOL impacts of anxiety, depression, sleep, fatigability, and posttraumatic growth. METHODS: This study involved analysis of follow-up data for an exercise intervention called the BLESS (Better Life after cancer, Energy, Strength, and Support) program, which included 40 BCS treated at 1 medical center in South Korea. Their QOL was assessed using both the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Quality of Life Index (QLI). RESULTS: Both FACT-B and QLI total scores revealed that Korean BCS had low levels of QOL. Furthermore, both FACT-B and QLI total scores were significantly related to anxiety, depression, sleep, fatigability, and posttraumatic growth in the participants. Notably, multivariate regression analysis of FACT-B and QLI total scores showed different predictors for QOL: with the FACT-B, depression was the only significant predictor, while with the QLI, posttraumatic growth was the only significant predictor. CONCLUSION: The selection of a given QOL instrument may affect the overall findings and interpretation of the impacts of related symptoms. The FACT-B should be considered for studies of symptoms such as depression, while the QLI is more appropriate for examining overall QOL and posttraumatic growth.

Effectiveness of a nurse-led Mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan (MTCC) program on Posttraumatic Growth and perceived stress and anxiety of breast cancer survivors.

Background: With the development of positive psychology, posttraumatic growth research on cancer patients has attracted increasing attention from researchers. It is immensely important to effectively increase the posttraumatic growth level of cancer patients and improve their quality of life. Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of a nurse-led mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan (MTCC) programme for increasing posttraumatic growth (PTG) and decreasing the perceived stress and anxiety of breast cancer survivors. Methods: A RCT was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to either the MTCC group or the control group. The programme included 59 women with stage I-III breast cancer. Participants in the intervention group participated in a nurse-led 8-week, twice a week, one-hour per day mindfulness-based exercise programme. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured three times (T1 - before intervention; T2 - after intervention; T3 - one year after intervention) using validated scales, including the PTG inventory (PTGI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). A repeated-measure analysis of variance model was used to analyse the data. Results: Compared with the wait-list control group, the PTG level in the MTCC group was much higher after the 8-week intervention and the follow-up (F = 374.98, P < .000). The results showed that MTCC increased the level of PTG, and the effect persisted 1 year after intervention. In addition, PSS (F = 55.22, P < .000) and SAS (F = 148.92, P < .000) scores were significantly decreased at T2 and T3. Conclusion: The research preliminarily revealed that the MTCC programme was simple, effective, and more suitable to clinical nurses which should be recommended to cancer survivors to promote their recovery.

Antecedentes: Con el desarrollo de la psicología positiva, la investigación de crecimiento postraumático en pacientes con cáncer ha atraído cada vez más la atención de los investigadores. Es sumamente importante aumentar de manera eficaz el nivel de crecimiento postraumático de los pacientes con cáncer y mejorar su calidad de vida.Objetivos: Investigar la efectividad de un programa de Tai Chi Chuan basado en mindfulness (MTCC en sus siglas en inglés) dirigido por enfermeras para aumentar el crecimiento postraumático (PTG en sus siglas en inglés) y disminuir la percepción de estrés y ansiedad de las sobrevivientes de cáncer de mama.Métodos: Se condujo un ECA. Las participantes fueron asignadas al azar al grupo MTCC o al grupo control. El programa incluyó a cincuenta y nueve mujeres con cáncer de mama en estadio I-III. Las participantes en el grupo de intervención participaron en un programa de ejercicios basados en mindfulness dirigido por enfermeras, de 8 semanas, dos veces por semana, de una hora diaria. La efectividad de la intervención se midió tres veces (T1 ­ antes de la intervención; T2 ­ después de la intervención; T3 ­ un año después de la intervención) usando escalas validadas, incluidas el inventario de PTG (PTGI), la Escala de Estrés Percibida (PSS) y la Escala de Ansiedad Auto-reportada (SAS). Para analizar los datos se utilizó un modelo de análisis de varianza de medidas repetidas.Resultados: En comparación con el grupo control de la lista de espera, el nivel de PTG en el grupo MTCC fue mucho más alto después de intervención de 8 semanas y al seguimiento (F = 374.98, P< 0.000). Los resultados mostraron que la MTCC aumentó los niveles de PTG y el efecto persistió un año después de la intervención. Además, las puntuaciones de PSS (F = 55.22, P< 0.000) y SAS (F = 148.92, P< 0.000) disminuyeron significativamente en T2 y T3.Conclusiones: Las investigaciones preliminares revelaron que el programa de MTCC era simple, efectivo y más adecuado para las enfermeras clínicas, lo que debería recomendarse a las sobrevivientes de cáncer para promover su recuperación.

Trauma Survivors' Experiences of Kundalini Yoga in Fostering Posttraumatic Growth.

The prevalence of traumatic events in South Africa is considerably high due to a history of political violence and the ongoing cycle of interpersonal, community-based, and socioeconomic violence. While conventional therapeutic techniques have been found to support trauma survivors in the local context, alternative approaches that focus on the mind-body connection have become increasingly popular. However, studies reporting on the use of these approaches remain scarce. This study aimed to add to the body of knowledge on yoga as a non-conventional therapy to support trauma survivors and foster posttraumatic growth. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of seven Kundalini yoga practitioners who had been exposed to trauma. A thematic analysis confirmed that Kundalini yoga was beneficial in fostering posttraumatic growth. Overall, the study findings, evidence a pocket of success in relation to value of such an intervention within a low socio economic black South African context.

Impact of the mindfulness-based psychoeducation applied to people having a myocardial infarction on mindfulness and posttraumatic growth.

AIM: This study aimed to examine the effect of mindfulness-based psychoeducation provided t individuals with previous myocardial infarction on their posttraumatic growth and mindfulness levels. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample of this study, which was quasi-experimental with a pre-test posttest follow-up pattern, consisted of 50 patients, 25 in the intervention group and 25 in the control group. The mindfulness-based psychoeducation lasted a total of 8 weeks. FINDINGS: The mindfulness-based psychoeducation program strongly affected the mindfulness levels of the individuals with previous myocardial infarction in the intervention group, but only partially affected their posttraumatic growth. APPLICATION INFERENCES: Mindfulness-based psychoeducation can be used to support mindfulness and posttraumatic growth in individuals who have suffered a myocardial infarction.

Dark Times and Second Chances: Perceived Growth From Adversity.

Using a lifespan perspective, we investigated a neglected aspect of research on religion, namely, whether perceptions of growth from adversity might strengthen religious worldviews, thus accounting for feelings about one's own death in old age. A directed content analysis of in-depth interviews from 16 adults aged 65+ focused on life events, religious worldviews, and death. Findings suggested that participants' religious worldview beliefs were associated with positive reinterpretation of lifespan adversities such that stressors functioned as opportunities for spiritual growth. Participants' views of and beliefs about death were without fear, indicating the potential influence of highly individualized and deeply spiritual religious worldview beliefs on the abatement of death fear.

Written exposure therapy and app-delivered mindfulness-based meditation for PTSD and subthreshold PTSD in China: Design of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and subthreshold PTSD are still major global concerns, especially in developing areas short of mental health resources. Written exposure therapy (WET), a brief 5-session treatment, has been found to be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms, but no studies have examined it in an Eastern context. Mindfulness-based meditation mobile application may be a promising approach to reduce insomnia comorbid with PTSD. The current study aims to: 1) examine the effectiveness of WET for Chinese PTSD and subthreshold PTSD patients, and 2) examine the effectiveness of adding a mindfulness-based application (MBA) to WET for reducing comorbid insomnia. METHODS: The randomized controlled trial will enroll 150 adults with subthreshold/full PTSD and comorbid insomnia. Participants will be randomly assigned to written exposure therapy plus mindfulness-based application condition (WET + MBA, n = 50), written exposure therapy alone (WET, n = 50), or minimal contact control (MMC, n = 50). Clinical interview of the primary outcome (PTSD symptoms) will be administrated at baseline, posttreatment, 3- and 6- month follow-up, while self-reported PTSD symptoms and secondary outcomes (insomnia severity) will be administrated at baseline, every week and all follow-ups. DISCUSSION: This is the first study applying WET in Chinese PTSD patients, as well as examining a mindfulness-based mobile application as a treatment add-on for comorbid insomnia. Study findings will contribute to the knowledge of the effectiveness of WET and a mindfulness-based mobile application, and the development of a culture-adapted treatment protocol. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR, ChiCTR2000034119. Registered 24 June 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=55,467.

Posttraumatic Growth and Spirituality in Mothers of Children with Pediatric Cancer.

A child's cancer, as a life-threatening illness, is classified as a traumatic event both for the child him-/herself and for his/her relatives. Struggling with a traumatic experience can bring positive consequences for an individual, which is referred to as posttraumatic growth. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between posttraumatic growth and spirituality understood as a personal resource in mothers of children with pediatric cancer. In total, 55 mothers whose children were in the phase of treatment and who had been staying with them in the hospital filled in a Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Self-description Questionnaire of Spirituality, and the author's short questionnaire on demographic variables and information on the child and his/her disease. A high level of posttraumatic development, especially in the area of life appreciation, was observed in the examined mothers. Spirituality was positively related to the emergence of positive change, in two particular components, ethical sensitivity and harmony. It seems that taking into account the area of spirituality when planning interventions and providing support in this group could foster coping with the situation and emergence of posttraumatic growth.

Enhancement from being present: Dispositional mindfulness moderates the longitudinal relationship between perceived social support and posttraumatic growth in Chinese firefighters.

BACKGROUND: Among impact factors of firefighters' posttraumatic growth (PTG) investigated in previous research, perceived social support has been considered as a major protective one and has gained persuasive evidence for its positive association with PTG. However, little is known about the factors influencing the relationship between firefighters' perceived social support and PTG. This study explored whether dispositional mindfulness moderates the longitudinal relationship between perceived social support and PTG. METHODS: A total of 340 Chinese firefighters who have worked for at least one year reported their levels of perceived social support from within/outside their families (The Perceived Social Support Scale; PSSS) and dispositional mindfulness (Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale; MAAS) at baseline, and they reported their posttraumatic growth (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory; PTGI) at both baseline and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: The current study found that for individuals with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, their perceived social supports within family was positively associated with PTG, while for individuals with lower levels of dispositional mindfulness, there is no significant relationship between them. However, dispositional mindfulness did not moderate the relationship between social support from outside and PTG. LIMITATION: Generalizations of our findings to sufferers of other traumatic experiences or different age groups need to be done with caution. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that individuals with high levels of dispositional mindfulness are more likely to benefit from the attention and awareness on the present experiences with greater compassion and hence are more able to acquire positive resources, which leads to greater development of PTG.

Perceived and actual posttraumatic growth in religiousness and spirituality following disasters.

OBJECTIVE: Religious/spiritual (R/S) growth is a core domain of posttraumatic growth (PTG). However, research on R/S growth following disasters has over-relied on retrospective self-reports of growth. We therefore examined longitudinal change in religiousness/spirituality following two disasters. METHOD: Religious survivors of Hurricanes Harvey (Study 1) and Irma (Study 2) completed measures of perceived R/S PTG, general religiousness/spirituality ("current standing"-R/S PTG), and subfacets of religiousness/spirituality (spiritual fortitude, religious motivations, and benevolent theodicies). In Study 1, 451 participants responded at 1-month and 2-month postdisaster. In Study 2, participants responded within 5-days predisaster and at 1-month (N = 1,144) and 6-months postdisaster (N = 684). RESULTS: In both studies, perceived R/S PTG was weakly related to longitudinal increases in general religiousness/spirituality and in most of its subfacets, but reliable growth in any R/S outcome was rare. Additionally, Study 2 revealed evidence that actual change in psychological well-being is associated with actual (but not perceived) R/S PTG, but disaster survivors tend to exhibit declines in their religiousness/spirituality, spiritual fortitude, and religious motivations. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest disaster survivors are only modestly accurate in perceiving how much positive R/S change they experience following a disaster. We discuss implications for clinical practice, scientific research, and empirical and conceptual work on PTG more broadly.

Finding Meaning in Hell. The Role of Meaning, Religiosity and Spirituality in Posttraumatic Growth During the Coronavirus Crisis in Spain.

Coronavirus has blighted our world, hitting some countries harder than others. Morbidity and mortality rates make Madrid one of the worst affected places so far in the wake of the coronavirus. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of post-traumatic growth during the coronavirus crisis and to understand the contribution of meaning, religiosity, and spirituality to such growth; 1,492 people completed the questionnaire; N = 1,091 residents in Madrid were selected for the study. We assessed the personal experience of COVID-19, the Spirituality, Religiosity, Meaning trough Purpose in Life-10 test, and Posttraumatic Growth (Community Post-Traumatic Growth Scale). Results showed significant differences for all measures of growth, with higher values in women. Sex and direct impact of COVID-19 accounted for 4.4% of the variance of growth. The different dimensions of meaning contribute differently to growth. Only religiosity was associated with total growth when meaning was included in the model. This same pattern of results is obtained in models predicting interpersonal and social growth. However, in predicting personal growth, it is spirituality that predicts this type of growth once meaning has been previously controlled for, while religiosity fails to reach a statistically significant level. Our results reflect the interest in maintaining the distinction between spirituality and religiosity, their different roles in traumatic growth and the different dimensions on which each has an effect. Finally, it confirms the importance of meaning in post-traumatic growth, especially the dimension of life goals and purposes.