title: Posttraumatic growth among spouses of combat veterans: Adaptive or maladaptive for adjustment?
abstract: We examined the relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and distress in spouses of trauma survivors. A sample of spouses of combat veterans of the 1973 Yom Kippur War were assessed using questionnaires pertaining to PTG, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress, in 2004 and 2011. Applying cross-lagged modeling strategy, higher PTG levels predicted higher depression and anxiety levels above and beyond initial distress. Thus, psychological growth in spouses of survivors appears to signify subsequent distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: sdekel@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dekel
authors.affiliation: Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Yafit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Israel; I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Israel.
authors.forename: Zahava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Solomon
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Longitudinal study; Posttraumatic growth; Secondary traumatization