The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma

1996/01/01 by Richard G. Tedeschi, Lawrence G. Calhoun · 17 citations
Psychology · #Identity, Memory, and Therapy #Optimism, Hope, and Well-being #Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

paper · doi:10.1002/jts.2490090305

openalex publication_date 1996/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

Abstract 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 extroversion. 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.

Citations

• Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms.
• An Introduction to the Five‐Factor Model and Its Applications
• Coping with stress: Divergent strategies of optimists and pessimists.

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