UC Santa Barbara

This study explored the following question: How do experiences of positive affect and social support influence an individual's posttraumatic growth? The following variables were measured: positive affect (pre- and post-PTE), perceived social support (pre- and post-PTE), rumination, and posttraumatic growth. Utilizing a descriptive field design, all participants were contacted through email to complete an online web-based survey. One hundred and twenty-seven individuals participated in this study. Seventy-four percent were female, the average age was 20.27 years (SD = 2.53), and participants were predominantly Caucasian (32.3%), Latino/a/Chicano/a (21.3%), and Asian (20.5%). Regression analyses revealed that perceived social support after a potentially traumatic event was significantly predictive of an individual's posttraumatic growth. Results of path analyses before and after a potentially traumatic event (PTE) show significant indirect and direct effects for the variables of positive affect and perceived social support. These results suggest the usefulness of focusing on increasing positive affect and perceived social support when designing interventions for survivors of potentially traumatic events. A model of influence was tested that examined the direct and indirect role of rumination in the hypothesized influence of positive affect upon posttraumatic growth, revealing that rumination, as well as the subscales of brooding and depression, significantly increased posttraumatic growth. These results suggest a need for future research to examine the varied role rumination has in relation to posttraumatic growth.