What doesn't kill you makes you stronger: A national study of US military veterans

Background: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is commonly observed among trauma survivors. However, few studies have treated PTG as multi-dimensional and examined how different PTG dimensions may be protective against the negative effects of future trauma. Methods: Using a nationally representative web-based survey of 1057 U.S. military veterans followed for two years, we examined whether different PTG dimensions had a protective effect on the severity and diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the face of new traumatic life events. Results: Greater scores on the Personal Strength domain of the PTG Inventory-Short Form at baseline was associated with reduced severity (beta=-.05, p <.05) and incidence (OR=.68, 95% CI=.50-.93) of PTSD at a two-year follow-up. Limitations: Results are associational and causality cannot be inferred so replication is needed. Conclusions: This study highlights the multi-dimensional nature of PTG and demonstrates a salubrious effect of trauma-related gains in personal strength on incident PTSD. Published by Elsevier B.V.