Posttraumatic Growth

by Richard G. Tedeschi, Jane Shakespeare-Finch, Kanako Taku

Posttraumatic Growth reworks and overhauls the seminal 2006 Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth. It provides a wide range of answers to questions concerning knowledge of posttraumatic growth (PTG) theory, its synthesis and contrast with other theories and models, and its applications in diverse settings. The book starts with an overview of the history, components, and outcomes of PTG. Next, chapters review quantitative, qualitative, and cross-cultural research on PTG, including in relation to cognitive function, identity formation, cross-national and gender differences, and similarities and differences between adults and children. The final section shows readers how to facilitate optimal outcomes with PTG at the level of the individual, the group, the community, and society.

Genres: Psychology

264 pages, Paperback

Published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Robert Bogue]

It didn’t start with the name “posttraumatic growth” (PTG). It started at the dawn of man, when countless of our ancestors faced challenges, setbacks, and tragedies and then grew from them. Posttraumatic Growth: Theory, Research, and Applications may be the latest codification of the concept that Tedeschi and Calhoun labeled “posttraumatic growth,” but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t exist before. Nearly three decades after their original work, this work reports on the concept as well as the misconceptions that have attached themselves to PTG since the original publications. This isn’t my first foray into reading Tedeschi’s work. I’ve previously read and reviewed Transformed by Trauma, which shares stories of those who have experienced growth.

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[Robin-warren Heydenberk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like Baumeister & Tierney (see The Power of Bad review) Tedeschi has dedicated his life to the research and insights in this volume. In fact, Tedeschi was looking for correlates to resilience and paths to overcoming trauma before many of us were familiar with the field of positive psychology. Problems and challenges in life are inevitable so Tedeschi's insights are relevant for all readers.