Elaboration on posttraumatic growth in youth exposed to terror: the role of religiosity and political ideology.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to examine competing explanations of the relationship between religious and political ideology commitment with posttraumatic growth.


METHODS
Subjects were Israeli youth who were exposed to terror (n = 2,999) aged 13-15. Measures included: posttraumatic growth inventory, religious orientation, ideological commitment, objective and subjective exposure to terror.


RESULTS
Both religiosity and political ideology mediated the effects of exposure and fear on growth. Political ideology but not religiosity, had a moderating effect, such that subjective fear was positively associated with growth only among those with stronger ideologies.


CONCLUSIONS
Results support the contention of Terror Management Theory that cultural beliefs have beneficial effects on well being in the face of adversity and emphasize the role of cultural world as effecting growth, beyond trauma.
Laufer
Avital
A
School of Behavioral Science, Netanya Academic College, 1 University St. Kiryat Itzhak Rabin, 42365, Netanya, Israel. laufea@netanya.ac.il
Solomon
Zahava
Z
Levine
Stephen Z
SZ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000208:ethnology; D007599:Judaism / Q000523:psychology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011057:Politics; D012067:Religion; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology*; D014857:Warfare
J Relig Health. 2011 Sep;50(3):687-99
19672716
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2005 Nov;44(11):1167-75
16239866
Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2006 Mar;32(3):365-77
16455863
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1986 Dec;51(6):1173-82
3806354
Psychol Bull. 2003 May;129(3):339-75
12784934
J Soc Psychol. 1990 Feb;130(1):53-9
2325401
Child Dev. 1996 Feb;67(1):55-69
8605834
J Genet Psychol. 1996 Dec;157(4):455-64
8955427
J Clin Psychol. 2003 Jan;59(1):71-83
12508332
J Trauma Stress. 2000 Jul;13(3):521-7
10948491
Am J Psychiatry. 1998 Apr;155(4):536-42
9546001
J Nerv Ment Dis. 1997 Jun;185(6):402-6
9205427
J Adolesc. 1989 Jun;12(2):117-38
2788664
Cancer Pract. 1997 May-Jun;5(3):147-54
9171550
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1993 Oct;65(4):812-21
8229652
J Trauma Stress. 2004 Feb;17(1):11-21
15027788
Scand J Psychol. 2000 Dec;41(4):297-306
11131951
J Pers. 1996 Mar;64(1):71-105
8656319
Am Psychol. 1991 Apr;46(4):376-83
2048796
J Trauma Stress. 1996 Jul;9(3):455-71
8827649
J Adolesc. 2001 Dec;24(6):681-99
11790050
J Clin Psychol. 2003 Jan;59(1):27-40
12508329
Child Dev. 1996 Feb;67(1):70-88
8605835
Psychol Rev. 1999 Oct;106(4):835-45
10560330
Am Psychol. 2000 Jan;55(1):99-109
11392870
Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1990 Oct;60(4):496-505
2248361
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2000 Sep;79(3):327-43
10981837