title: Can guilt lead to psychological growth following trauma exposure?
abstract: With the growing interest in posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its predictors, this study examined the relationship between trauma-related guilt and PTG in a sample of veterans over time. Self-reported guilt, PTG, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were measured in combat veterans and prisoners of war (POWs). Positive correlations were found between guilt, PTSD, and PTG levels. Hierarchical regression revealed that initial guilt levels predicted subsequent PTG controlling for initial PTSD in combat veterans but not in POWs. The findings suggest that posttraumatic growth can be facilitated by trauma-related guilt, underscoring the complex relationship between positive and negative trauma outcomes.
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: William James College, Newtown, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mamon
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Zahava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lanman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dishy
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063906:Prisoners of War / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Guilt; Posttraumatic growth; Posttraumatic stress disorder