DIGEST-V7-i4

7 TPC Digest Read full article and references: Acquaye, H. E. (2017). PTSD, optimism, religious commitment, and growth as post-trauma trajectories: A structural equation modeling of former refugees. The Professional Counselor , 7 , 330–348. doi : 10.15241/hea.7.4.330 Hannah E. Acquaye PTSD, Optimism, Religious Commitment, and Growth as Post-Trauma Trajectories A Structural Equation Modeling of Former Refugees 7 | P ast research on trauma in general and refugee trauma specifically, has focused on pathologies and the diverse challenges encountered. Newer researchers, while recognizing the challenges this population faces, are focusing on what makes them thrive, survive, and grow psychologically beyond their previous level of functioning. The concept used in this study to describe this growth beyond trauma is Tedeschi and Calhoun’s post-traumatic growth (PTG) construct. Participants in this study returned to the place of their trauma; therefore, an assessment of their level of optimism was warranted to attempt to predict PTG and hope for the future. The background above led to the proposal of four hypotheses: a prediction of the percentage of participants meeting the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); high optimism predicting PTG; high optimism predicting religious commitment; and high religious commitment predicting PTG. Participants were given instruments to assess each of the constructs—optimism, war events, PTSD, religious commitment, and growth. Using structural equation modeling, some of the hypotheses were rejected, although the study failed to reject others. Almost 80% of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Although there were no significant differences in PTSD scores based on gender, there were significant differences in PTG scores, with females scoring higher than their male counterparts. Post-traumatic stress, optimism, and religious commitment each predicted growth. The results were unsurprising because PTSD and PTG have been reported to coexist in traumatized populations. Both optimism and religious commitment were found within the PTG construct; that prediction also was not surprising. The surprising results, however, were that the higher a person’s reported religious commitment, the lower their PTG. There was evidence that a moderate amount of religious commitment can predict higher growth. These results corroborated a previous qualitative study in which some participants who had religion-based trauma reported higher growth with lowered religious commitment. Thus, religious commitment and growth had an inverse relation. Overall, the study provided initial support for the cross-cultural use of some Western-based instruments. Professional counselors are encouraged to use the PTSD instrument to assess the level of trauma for both Western and non-Western traumatized populations instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. The construct can be classified cross-culturally, with the instrument having the ability to screen for PTSD in traumatized populations. Data collected in this study was part of a dissertation study. The dissertation was awarded the 2016 Dissertation Excellence Award by the National Board for Certified Counselors. Hannah E. Acquaye, NCC, is an assistant professor at Western Seminary. Correspondence can be addressed to Hannah Acquaye, Counseling Program, Western Seminary, 5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97215, hacquaye@westernseminary.edu.