TPC_Journal Digests_Volume_2_Issue_1

Although previous studies have reported high levels of personal growth attributed by survivors in retrospect to coping with traumatic experiences, researchers know little about levels of personal growth attributed to other kinds of experiences. This paper documents 2 studies of student growth attributed to typical experiences of college life and compares levels reported by students to levels reported in previous studies of trauma survivors. The 2 current studies extend the results of 2 previous studies of similar samples. Our measure of personal growth was the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). The PTGI was developed to elicit self- A b s t r a c t Little is known about levels of personal growth attributed by students to typical experiences of college life. This paper documents 2 studies of student self-reported growth and compares growth levels across populations. Both studies measure student attributions of cause to academic and non-academic experiences, respectively. W. P. Anderson Jr. Sandra I. Lopez-Baez C ollege - student P ersonal -G rowth and A ttributions of C ause TPC Digest TPC Journal Volume 2 Issue 1