Posttraumatic growth amongst community volunteers in Indonesia following the Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006

Volunteering in critical situations can involve great distress, which can result in detrimental outcomes, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research has also shown that traumatic experience can result in positive outcomes like posttraumatic growth (PTG) which is expressed among other things as more appreciation for life and greater personal strength. The objective of the present research was to examine the relationship between posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress amongst 506 volunteers who participated in helping procedures in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2006 following a large-scale earthquake. Posttraumatic stress and growth were assessed six months and 12 months after the earthquake. Results showed that participants who reported more posttraumatic growth at the 6 months assessment exhibited more posttraumatic stress symptoms at 12 months. These findings suggest that posttraumatic growth can be a coping mechanism in the form of denial and/or an illusion shortly after a traumatic event. Keywords: posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress disorder, coping, illusion, denial, volunteering, disaster settings

Author dc:creator

• Hildur Skúladóttir 1991-

Contributors dc:contributor

• Háskólinn í Reykjavík

• Sálfræði
• Áfallastreita
• Þroski
• Sjálfboðastörf
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Voluntarism
• Psychology

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1946/25665

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:skemman.is:1946/25665