Coping strategies, psychopathological symptoms, and posttraumatic growth following trauma and stressful life events

The current study examined the predictive value of stressful life experiences and coping strategies on posttraumatic growth and psychopathological symptoms. Using the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ), the Brief COPE, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), hierarchical linear regression models were used to explore the contribution of specific coping strategies to predict posttraumatic growth and psychopathological symptoms following exposure to a trauma/stressful life event. We hypothesized that coping styles such as planning, humor, and acceptance would predict more adaptive outcomes, whereas coping styles such as venting, substance use, and denial would predict more maladaptive outcomes. Results from a factor analysis indicated that there were three factors in the current sample. Factors 1 and 3 were considered "adaptive" coping styles and analyzed together. In a hierarchal regression, these strategies predicted significantly more posttraumatic growth and less psychopathological symptoms beyond that of gender and trauma/stressful life events. Factor two was considered "maladaptive" and significantly predicted psychopathological symptoms beyond that of gender and trauma/stressful life events. Post-hoc analyses explored the specific predictive value of these coping strategies.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Henninger, Jessica

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dinzeo, Thomas

• Post-traumatic stress disorder; Adaptation, Psychological
• Psychiatric and Mental Health

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/357

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1356