Law enforcement officers are routinely exposed to traumatic incidents that can lead to psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, emerging literature highlights the potential for posttraumatic growth (PTG), a positive psychological change following adversity. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of PTG in a sample of 33 police officers from a Midwestern department. Using validated self-report measures, the study assessed the role of trauma exposure, cognitive restructuring of core beliefs, and perceived organizational culture, particularly supervisor support. Results indicated that both internal (core belief reflection) and external (supervisory support) factors significantly predicted PTG. Additionally, involvement in a shooting accounted for a unique portion of variance in PTG outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of supportive leadership and reflective processing in fostering resilience among officers, emphasizing trauma-informed leadership is not just a supportive resource, but a mechanism for transformation. By identifying key mechanisms of growth, this study informs strength-based interventions and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing officer wellness and psychological recovery.
","abstract_html":"<p>Law enforcement officers are routinely exposed to traumatic incidents that can lead to psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, emerging literature highlights the potential for posttraumatic growth (PTG), a positive psychological change following adversity. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of PTG in a sample of 33 police officers from a Midwestern department. Using validated self-report measures, the study assessed the role of trauma exposure, cognitive restructuring of core beliefs, and perceived organizational culture, particularly supervisor support. Results indicated that both internal (core belief reflection) and external (supervisory support) factors significantly predicted PTG. Additionally, involvement in a shooting accounted for a unique portion of variance in PTG outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of supportive leadership and reflective processing in fostering resilience among officers, emphasizing trauma-informed leadership is not just a supportive resource, but a mechanism for transformation. By identifying key mechanisms of growth, this study informs strength-based interventions and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing officer wellness and psychological recovery.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Spaulding, Aaleiyah C"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Clinical Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Bradley Olson, Ph.D.","Judah Viola, Ph.D.","Emese Vitalis, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-07-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2026-07-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:38Z","subjects":["Posttraumatic growth","law enforcement","PTG","police officers","Clinical Psychology","Community Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/915","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Bradley Olson, Ph.D.","Judah Viola, Ph.D.","Emese Vitalis, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Spaulding, Aaleiyah C"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-08-03T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Clinical Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Posttraumatic growth","law enforcement","PTG","police officers","Clinical Psychology","Community Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/915"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Law enforcement officers are routinely exposed to traumatic incidents that can lead to psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, emerging literature highlights the potential for posttraumatic growth (PTG), a positive psychological change following adversity. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of PTG in a sample of 33 police officers from a Midwestern department. Using validated self-report measures, the study assessed the role of trauma exposure, cognitive restructuring of core beliefs, and perceived organizational culture, particularly supervisor support. Results indicated that both internal (core belief reflection) and external (supervisory support) factors significantly predicted PTG. Additionally, involvement in a shooting accounted for a unique portion of variance in PTG outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of supportive leadership and reflective processing in fostering resilience among officers, emphasizing trauma-informed leadership is not just a supportive resource, but a mechanism for transformation. By identifying key mechanisms of growth, this study informs strength-based interventions and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing officer wellness and psychological recovery.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Strengthening The Shield: Exploring Post-Traumatic Growth In Law Enforcement"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Bradley Olson, Ph.D.","Judah Viola, Ph.D.","Emese Vitalis, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Spaulding, Aaleiyah C"],"dc:date.available":["2025-08-03T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Law enforcement officers are routinely exposed to traumatic incidents that can lead to psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, emerging literature highlights the potential for posttraumatic growth (PTG), a positive psychological change following adversity. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of PTG in a sample of 33 police officers from a Midwestern department. Using validated self-report measures, the study assessed the role of trauma exposure, cognitive restructuring of core beliefs, and perceived organizational culture, particularly supervisor support. Results indicated that both internal (core belief reflection) and external (supervisory support) factors significantly predicted PTG. Additionally, involvement in a shooting accounted for a unique portion of variance in PTG outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of supportive leadership and reflective processing in fostering resilience among officers, emphasizing trauma-informed leadership is not just a supportive resource, but a mechanism for transformation. By identifying key mechanisms of growth, this study informs strength-based interventions and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing officer wellness and psychological recovery.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/915"],"dc:subject":["Posttraumatic growth","law enforcement","PTG","police officers","Clinical Psychology","Community Psychology","Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["Strengthening The Shield: Exploring Post-Traumatic Growth In Law Enforcement"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Clinical Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:38Z"}