TY - JOUR
T1 - Posttraumatic growth trajectories and the psychopathological response to Covid-19
T2 - A longitudinal study of former prisoners of war and combat veterans
AU - Dokkedahl, Sarah Bøgelund
AU - Levin, Yafit
AU - Solomon, Zahava
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Background: Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) is the subjective experience of positive psychological change following exposure to trauma. Yet, researchers have discussed whether PTG is a positive outcome or a self-deceptive coping mechanism. The present study investigates PTG-trajectories and their ability to predict psychopathology in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in a longitudinal study of former prisoners of war (ex-POWs) and combat veterans from the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Israel. Methods: Data was collected in five waves from 1991 to 2020 (NT5 = 256). To identify latent profiles of change in PTG over time, Group-Based Trajectory Modeling was applied. Logistic regression examined whether study group and PTSD-clusters predict latent trajectories of change. Boostrap MANOVA was applied to examine if the latent trajectories predict veterans’ psychopathological response to Covid-19. Results: A 2-class solution was the best representation of the data. Being ex-POW significantly predicted the likelihood of developing high PTG over time. The High PTG group had significantly higher Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and general psychopathology in response to Covid-19. Conclusion: In conclusion, PTG is associated with greater vulnerability for psychopathology in response to later adversities. Hence, the subjective experience of positive change does not appear to signify higher resilience in trauma victims.
AB - Background: Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) is the subjective experience of positive psychological change following exposure to trauma. Yet, researchers have discussed whether PTG is a positive outcome or a self-deceptive coping mechanism. The present study investigates PTG-trajectories and their ability to predict psychopathology in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in a longitudinal study of former prisoners of war (ex-POWs) and combat veterans from the 1973 Yom Kippur War in Israel. Methods: Data was collected in five waves from 1991 to 2020 (NT5 = 256). To identify latent profiles of change in PTG over time, Group-Based Trajectory Modeling was applied. Logistic regression examined whether study group and PTSD-clusters predict latent trajectories of change. Boostrap MANOVA was applied to examine if the latent trajectories predict veterans’ psychopathological response to Covid-19. Results: A 2-class solution was the best representation of the data. Being ex-POW significantly predicted the likelihood of developing high PTG over time. The High PTG group had significantly higher Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and general psychopathology in response to Covid-19. Conclusion: In conclusion, PTG is associated with greater vulnerability for psychopathology in response to later adversities. Hence, the subjective experience of positive change does not appear to signify higher resilience in trauma victims.
KW - Posttraumatic growth
KW - Posttraumatic stress disorder
KW - prisoners of war
KW - Psychopathology
KW - PTSD
KW - Veterans
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejtd.2024.100465
DO - 10.1016/j.ejtd.2024.100465
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85205506679
SN - 2468-7499
VL - 8
JO - European Journal of Trauma and Dissociation
JF - European Journal of Trauma and Dissociation
IS - 4
M1 - 100465
ER -