Positive Changes in Outlook Following Trauma and Their Relationship to Subsequent Posttraumatic Stress, Depression, and Anxiety

Interest in the potential for positive adjustment following trauma has prompted consideration of its clinical utility in working with people who have been traumatized. However, very little empirical research has addressed the issue of how the experience of positive changes may impact on chronic psychological distress. The present study examined the longitudinal associations of psychological distress (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression, and anxiety) and positive changes over a 6-month interval in 40 people who had been severely traumatized. Analyses indicated that the experience of positive changes predicted lower levels of PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety, over the 6-month interval. The discussion suggests directions for further research and potential implications of the findings for clinical work with traumatized people.