Can guilt lead to psychological growth following trauma exposure?

Sharon Dekel; Daria Mamon; Zahava Solomon; Olivia Lanman; Gabriella Dishy

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2016.01.011

Can guilt lead to psychological growth following trauma exposure?

Psychiatry Res. 2016 Feb 28:236:196-198. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.01.011. Epub 2016 Jan 12.

Authors

Sharon Dekel¹, Daria Mamon², Zahava Solomon³, Olivia Lanman⁴, Gabriella Dishy⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² William James College, Newtown, MA, USA.
³ School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel Aviv, Israel.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 26795127
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.01.011

Abstract

With the growing interest in posttraumatic growth (PTG) and its predictors, this study examined the relationship between trauma-related guilt and PTG in a sample of veterans over time. Self-reported guilt, PTG, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were measured in combat veterans and prisoners of war (POWs). Positive correlations were found between guilt, PTSD, and PTG levels. Hierarchical regression revealed that initial guilt levels predicted subsequent PTG controlling for initial PTSD in combat veterans but not in POWs. The findings suggest that posttraumatic growth can be facilitated by trauma-related guilt, underscoring the complex relationship between positive and negative trauma outcomes.

Keywords: Guilt; Posttraumatic growth; Posttraumatic stress disorder.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological*
Guilt*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prisoners of War / psychology*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
Veterans / psychology*