TPC_Journal Digests_Volume_2_Issue_1

reports, in retrospect, of personal growth (positive psychological changes defined by the PTGI items) attributed by trauma survivors to years of coping after a traumatic experience. We adapted the PTGI for our purposes by rewording the instructions like the developers did in their study of a non-trauma comparison group (their Study 3, 1996). We add a blank table to elicit student estimates of percentage contributions of total growth attributed to specific experiences (attributions of cause) that occurred during the time period of interest. The two current studies are based on measures of total growth and attributions of cause associated with students’ cumulative college careers. Study 1 (N = 122) was comparative and its primary purpose was to examine the internal validity of our PTGI scores and the construct validity of one of the PTGI subscales. We interpret the results as evidence of both. Study 2 was descriptive and the primary purpose was to measure how much of total growth is attributed by a sample of graduating seniors (N = 108) to each of their 4 college years. We interpret the results as evidence of substantial growth each year and of attributions of cause to both academic and non-academic experiences, respectively. The results of the two current studies are consistent with those of our previous studies, namely, that college students like those in our samples attribute substantial growth to college life and to both academic and non- academic experiences, respectively. (The later result suggests that growth can be facilitated by academic activities.) We think the method we use can be adapted by other researchers in future studies based on a wide variety of research purposes including the evaluation programs designed to facilitate growth. ...college students like those in our samples attribute substantial growth to college life and to both academic and non-academic experiences, respectively. TPC Digest