Changes in Psychosocial Resources as Predictors of Posttraumatic Growth: A Longitudinal Study of Low-Income, Female Hurricane Katrina Survivors.

This study examined how well the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) corresponds with self-reported pre- to posttrauma changes in related constructs, including sense of purpose in life, religiosity, and social support. Participants were 328 low-income mothers (85.2% non-Hispanic Black) who survived Hurricane Katrina and completed surveys approximately 1 year predisaster (Time 1), 4 years postdisaster (Time 2), and 12 years postdisaster (Time 3). PTG was assessed at Time 2 and Time 3, and related constructs were assessed at all waves. Pre- to postdisaster changes in the following related constructs were significantly associated with the corresponding PTGI subscales: purpose in life with Relating to Others, Personal Strength, and New Possibilities; religiosity with Spiritual Change; and perceived social support with Relating to Others. The results demonstrate a link between a number of self-reported pre- to posttrauma psychological changes measured over time and the PTGI. Replication of these results using measures more closely aligned to the PTGI subscales, among more representative samples and in the aftermath of other traumatic events, is warranted.

Posttraumatic growth in low-income Black mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina.

This mixed-methods study aimed to gain knowledge of the lived experience of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in 32 low-income Black mothers whose New Orleans' homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and half of whom had relocated indefinitely to Houston. Data from in-depth interviews with participants were examined in conjunction with quantitative scores on the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). Participants were interviewed face-to-face on a range of postdisaster experiences, including positive changes, in 2009. Participants also completed the PTGI via a telephone survey within six months of being interviewed. Most (26 out of 32) participants described experiencing PTG within the 5 domains of the PTGI, with the domains most frequently coded, in descending order, being New Possibilities, Relating to Others, Personal Strength, Appreciation for Life, and Spiritual Change. PTG stemmed heavily from exposure to opportunities in survivors' postdisaster communities, including increased racial diversity, improved neighborhoods, and new educational and economic opportunities. Participants' frequency of all PTG codes was associated with their overall PTGI scores with a small-to-moderate effect size (r = .32; p = .078) in a relationship that trended toward significance. Without minimizing the catastrophic losses they entail, disasters may in some cases create spaces for PTG for survivors, including through new opportunities in areas where survivors formerly experienced oppression. Policymakers should examine how to make such opportunities available, visible and accessible to individuals absent a disaster. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth among low-income mothers who survived Hurricane Katrina.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between posttraumatic stress (PTS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) after Hurricane Katrina, and the role of demographics, predisaster psychological distress, hurricane-related stressors, and psychological resources (optimism and purpose) in predicting each. METHOD: Participants were 334 low-income mothers (82.0% non-Hispanic Black) living in the New Orleans area prior to Hurricane Katrina, who completed surveys in the year prior to the hurricane (T1 [Time 1]) and 1 and 3 years thereafter (T2 and T3). RESULTS: Higher T2 and T3 PTS full-scale and symptom cluster subscales (Intrusion, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal) were significantly associated with higher T3 PTG, and participants who surpassed the clinical cutoff for probable posttraumatic stress disorder at both T2 and T3 had significantly higher PTG than those who never surpassed the clinical cutoff. Older and non-Hispanic Black participants, as well as those who experienced a greater number of hurricane-related stressors and bereavement, reported significantly greater T3 PTS and PTG. Participants with lower T2 optimism reported significantly greater T3 intrusive symptoms, whereas those with higher T1 and T2 purpose reported significantly greater T3 PTG. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, we suggest practices and policies with which to identify disaster survivors at greater risk for PTS, as well as longitudinal investigations of reciprocal and mediational relationships between psychological resources, PTS, and PTG.