title: Experience of post-traumatic growth in UK veterans with PTSD: a qualitative study.
abstract: Little is known about the experience of post-traumatic growth (PTG) within UK veterans. To address this, our study aims to understand the lived experience of PTG from the perspective of UK veterans who have received treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. The study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore qualitative interviews conducted with a sample of veterans who reported experiences of PTG in a quantitative measure. The themes drawn from the interviews describe the veterans' lived experiences of growth following trauma and their understanding of how it occurred. Similarities and differences with the dimensions of a widely used PTG quantitative measure are outlined, and a possible veteran experience of growth and how it develops is described. The conclusions provide a basis for further investigation into the experience, acceptability and clinical application of PTG within a UK veteran-specific population.
authors.affiliation: Combat Stress, Leatherhead, UK.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Combat Stress, Leatherhead, UK.|Department of Psychological Medicine, King's Centre for Military Health Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Combat Stress, Leatherhead, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spencer-Harper
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: MENTAL HEALTH; PTSD; Post-traumatic growth; TRAUMA MANAGEMENT; Veterans