RESILIENCE AND POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH 1
“Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth:
Empirical Evidence and Clinical Applications from a Christian Perspective”
Dr. Brian Campbell
Liberty University Online
“Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth:
Empirical Evidence and Clinical Applications from a Christian Perspective”
Summary
In this article, Tan (2013), a Christian psychologist, reviewed the research and literature that has accumulated for over a decade on the topics of posttraumatic reslience and posttraumaticgrowth. Posttraumatic reslience refers to an individual’s ability to adapt to and handle traumatic events (Meichenbaum, as cited in Tan, 2013, p. 358). Posttraumatic growth, a related term, refers to the positive changes and growth experiences that can result from trauma (Tedeschi & Calhoun, as cited in Tan, 2013, p. 358). Drawing upon available data, Tan (2013) summarized the literature on these two responses to trauma with an eye towards the ways in which these concepts relate to, and are reflected in, Christian teachings and biblical perspectives. At the outset of this article, Tan (2013, p. 368) summarized the empirical evidence for the fact that many people adapt well to trauma (ie., are relislient) and, paradoxically, may experience postiive growth following traumatic events.
According to Tan (2013, p. 358), traumatic events (disasters, sickness, loss, abuse, rape, etc.) occur quite frequently in North America. Surprisingly, research has demonstrated that many people show a remarkable ability to cope with and adapt to traumatic events (Tan, 2013 ); in addition, the long-term outcomes of traumatic events are not always negative (Tan, 2013 ). For example, Tan (2013, p. 358) pointed out that approximately 70% of people cope well following a traumatic event, and only 30% develop posttraumatic stress disorder or other serious psychological problems.
However, positive outcomes from traumatic events do not generally take place immediately (Tan, 2013, p. 58). Furthermore, there are many factors that may influence whether people respond positively to trauma (Tan, 2013, pp. 358-359). For example, having good social support and having the mental capacity to accept the reality of traumatic events are among the helpful coping mechanisms highlighted by Tan ( 2013, pp. 358-359). Coping factors such as these increase “resilience” in both military and civilian populations who have been exposed to traumatic events (Tan, 2013, p. 359). Overall, “empirical evidence…shows that the majority of individuals who have gone through a traumatic event, in whatever form, end up with resilience”(Tan, 2013, p. 360). But what can counselors do to facilitate resilience and personal growth?
To address this question, Tan (2013, p. 360) outlined six areas of “fitness” that therapists can promote in their clients in order to facilitate resilience and coping; these areas of personal health include physical, interpersonal, emotional, thinking, behavioral, and spiritual fitness (Meichenbaum, as cited in Tan, 2013, pp. 360-361). Along similar lines, Tan (2013) summarized research by Joseph (as cited in Tan, 2013), regarding six factors that thearpists can use to facilitate posttraumatic resiliance and growth, which include: “taking stock,” “harvesting hope,” “re-authoring,” “identifying change,” “valuing change,” and “expressing change in action” (pp. 360-361). After summarizing the above thereapeutic interventions, in the final section of his literature review, Tan (2013) turned to discuss the concept of resilience and growth from a biblical/spiritual perspective.
Tan (2013) began his review of biblical perspectives by pointing out that the Bible includes anadundance of information relevant to the topic of suffering. According to Tan (2013, p. 362), there are many scriptures in the Bible that can be drawn upon to provide help following traumatic events and promote resiliance and personal growth. In fact, from a biblical/Christian persepcitve, traumatic events are often viewed in the Bible as “blessings” (Tata & Estes, as cited in Tan, 2013, p. 362).
However, focusing solely on the “blessings” individuals may receive from suffering is not the most significant and therapeutically relevant perspective on suffering contained in the Bible (Tan, 2013). According to Tan (2013, p. 363), a more mature Christian perspective on suffereing focuses on a deep understanding of God and the purpose of Christ’s redemptive sacrifice on the cross. Ultimately, an adequate Christian viewpoint on suffering must be “Christ-centered and cross-centered” (Tan, 2013, p. 363). Although unspoken, it is clear that Tan (2013, p. 363) believes that this deeper perspective is the ultimate “intervention” for Christian therapists who want to help their clients develop resilience and personal growth following traumatic events.
Reflection
This article caught my attention because of its main topic—response to traumatic events. As a Christian psychologist for over 25 years, I have seen and heard many stories of trauma from my clients and I have been surprised how many of them successfully coped with circumstances and events that I believe would have “crippled” me psychologically. I am a very sensitive person, and it is remarkable to me that some people cope with and even show personal growth following horrendous traumatic events. On more than one occasion, as I have listened to painful stories of my clients, I have thought to myself, “I don’t think I am strong enough to have survived those toxic comments or those traumatic events.”
So, why is it that some people show incredible resilience and even growth following traumatic events? After reading the article by Tan (2013), it is clear that an individual’s response to trauma is multiply determined and complex. But despite the complexity of the topic, the research reviewed by Tan (2013) has demonstrated that the majority of people do cope well with trauma and the therapist has a number of clinical “tools” to facilitate resilience, adaptation, and personal growth.
After highlighting some of the secular intervention strategies that therapists can use to facilitate resilience and growth following trauma, Tan (2013) focused his attention on biblical perspectives on suffering. These biblical perspectives were especially important to me because during my years of Christian counseling, I noticed that individuals with deep spiritual faith and a sound knowledge of the scriptures were among those who coped best with traumatic events. Importantly, Tan’s (2013) article highlighted the scriptural basis and underpinnings for a person’s “ability” to cope with traumatic events. In addition, Tan (2013) also pointed to the “deeper” redemptive and sacrificial perspectives of suffering that, ostensibly, are powerful concepts to remember and emphasize when counseling Christians. However, Tan (2013) does not provide any research related to these “deeper” perspectives. Therefore, if these perspectives are to be empirically studied and validated, an entirely new area for future research and scientific inquiry needs to be developed.
Application
Brenda, a professed Christian, was referred to a Christian adoption agency by her pastor. As an adolescent, Brenda was raped and impregnated by her uncle. Her parents forced her to have an abortion when she was fourteen years old. This was a traumatic event for Brenda, and she suffered from posttraumatic stress and depression for a number of years following the abortion. When she entered the adoption agency, at age twenty-two, Brenda was administered the “Posttraumatic Growth Inventory” (Meichenbaum, as cited in Tan, 2013, p. 359). This instrument showed that Brenda had experienced considerable personal growth and positive change since the time of the abortion. When questioned, Brenda indicated that the changes in her life started when she “born again” and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. This event occurred at a Christian youth group meeting that her best friend invited her to at age sixteen.
Although Brenda was recovering satisfactorily from the traumatic rape and subsequent abortion, she was still somewhat fragile emotionally and tentative about the process of adoption. In order to facilitate continued improvement and adjustment prior to adopting a child, her counselor, a volunteer at the adoption center, encouraged her to engage in self-help coping strategies (Meichenbaum, as cited in Tan, 2013, pp. 360-361), such as embarking on a physical fitness regimen, improving her social relationships and support systems, improving her relationship with her current husband, thinking positively about her future, and being hopeful about her possibilities of adopting a child (Joseph, as cited in Tan, 2013, p. 362). In addition to these “secular” interventions, her counselor recommended daily devotions and scripture reading. Scriptures dealing with the “blessings” and positive aspects of suffering (Tan, 2013, p. 362) were assigned for study and memorization.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the counselor helped Brenda recall the “big picture” of Christ’s redemptive and sacrificial suffering and the meaning of the cross (Tan, 2013, p. 363). Brenda was encouraged to recall the forgiveness and freedom she experienced when she first accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior and was“born again” at the youth group meeting when she was sixteen.
Reference
Tan, S. Y., (2013). Resilience and posttraumatic growth: Empirical evidence and clinical applications from a clinical perspective. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 34(4), 358-364.