An Agenda for the Next Generation of Posttraumatic Growth Research
Rowan Kemmerly, Howard Tennen, Eranda Jayawickreme
Abstract
While interest in posttraumatic growth (PTG) among researchers has continued to increase over the last 25 years, much of this research continues to suffer from significant methodological limitations. However, a series of empirical and theoretical investigations in recent years point towards interest in a more rigorous examination of this phenomenon. In this chapter, we provide a review of this emerging empirical work, which has focused on prospective evaluations of change following the experience of adversity, valid assessments of PTG, and the utilization of methods from personality psychology to examine change. We also outline future directions for further clarifying our understanding of how people can in fact experience positive changes in the wake of adversity.