Vicarious posttraumatic growth: Predictors of growth and relationships with adjustment

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is now recognized as a possible outcome in the wake of trauma that has been experienced either directly or indirectly. With this in mind, the aims of the current study were threefold: to assess the applicability of Calhoun and Tedeschi's (2006, 1996) five-factor model of PTG in relation to vicarious PTG; assess the factors that are predictive of vicarious PTG; and assess the extent to which vicarious PTG is able to predict adjustment. The sample comprised of 126 university students and general community members. The factor analysis revealed that a two-factor solution (personal growth and changes in worldview) best explained vicarious PTG. The regression analyses revealed that intrusion was a significant positive predictor of personal growth and that intrinsic religiosity, meaningfulness, and intrusion were significant positive predictors of changes in worldview. It was also found that changes in worldview predicted better adjustment while personal growth predicted poorer adjustment. Implications and future directions for research are discussed in light of the results obtained.