2019/02/22 by Maarten C. Eisma, Lonneke I. M. Lenferink, Margaret S. Stroebe +4 · 79 citations
Medicine · Psychology · #Anxiety #Clinical psychology #Cognition #Coping (psychology) #Depression (economics) #Forgiveness and Related Behaviors #Grief #Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health #Longitudinal study #Medicine #Mental health #Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research #Posttraumatic growth #Posttraumatic stress #Psychiatry #Psychology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/10615806.2019.1584293
published in Anxiety Stress & Coping 32(3), 231-243 (Taylor & Francis)
openalex publication_date 2019/02/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Major negative life-events including bereavement can precipitate perceived positive life-changes, termed posttraumatic growth (PTG). While traditionally considered an adaptive phenomenon, it has been suggested that PTG represents a maladaptive coping response similar to cognitive avoidance. To clarify the function of PTG, it is crucial to establish concurrent and longitudinal associations of PTG with post-event mental health problems. Yet, longitudinal studies on this topic are scarce. The present study fills this gap in knowledge. DESIGN: A two-wave longitudinal survey was conducted. METHODS: Four-hundred and twelve bereaved adults (87.6% women) filled out scales assessing PTG and symptoms of depression, anxiety, prolonged grief, and posttraumatic stress at baseline and 6 months later. RESULTS: The baseline concurrent relationships between all symptom levels and PTG were curvilinear (inverted U-shape). Cross-lagged analyses demonstrated that symptom levels did not predict levels of PTG 6 months later, or vice versa. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest PTG after loss has no substantive negative or positive effects on mental health. Development of specific treatments to increase PTG after bereavement therefore appears premature.