title: Posttraumatic growth, posttraumatic stress symptoms and mental health among coronary heart disease survivors.
abstract: The present study aimed to estimate posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among heart disease survivors and examine whether PTG moderates the association between PTSS and mental health. Data from 82 myocardial infarction and acute coronary artery bypass graft survivors (aged 46-82) was obtained at admission to a cardiac rehabilitation unit. Mental status was assessed by the PTSD Inventory, Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Mental Health Inventory and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). 17.1 % of the participants suffered significantly from PTSS and most of the study sample (71.2 %) reported PTG. PTSS were positively associated with PTG and psychological distress and negatively with well-being and HRQOL. PTG moderated the association between PTSS and most mental health outcomes. We conclude that posttraumatic growth may attenuate the negative effect of posttraumatic stress symptoms on mental health.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Division, Department of Psychiatry, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizman Street, 64239 Tel-Aviv, Israel. iritblv@gmail.com
authors.forename: Irit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bluvstein
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moravchick
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sheps
authors.forename: Shaul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bloch
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology