title: Posttraumatic growth of injured patients after motor vehicle accidents: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.
abstract: This study aimed to explore the process of posttraumatic growth of injured patients after a motor vehicle accident in China. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six patients. Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four main super-ordinate themes emerged: construction of meaning; perception of self; perception of connection; and perception of life philosophy. These themes describe growth and emotional distress which may well coexist. Posttraumatic growth can be seen as one outcome of a process of struggling with traumatic injuries. Some strategies for facilitating posttraumatic growth are discussed. Health-care providers may help the recovery of injured patients by facilitating posttraumatic growth.
authors.affiliation: Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yanbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult