Posttraumatic Growth in Case of Internal Displacement

Abstract

Most of the empirical research in trauma psychology focuses on posttraumatic reactions, rather than on positive outcomes besides increased attention to contributing factors to the concept of posttraumatic growth. The study presented in this paper investigates the role of religious commitment on the one hand and religious and nonreligious coping on the other as contributing factors to posttraumatic growth among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in Georgia. Based on data from N = 190 IDPS, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to understand posttraumatic growth and the role of religiosity as a coping resource and strategy. Results indicate that religious commitment is not directly related to areas of posttraumatic growth but it has a positive impact on posttraumatic growth when it fosters religious and non-religious ways of coping. Each and every component has shown to have unique contribution to the outcome variable. Finally, implications of the practical value and for the field in general are discussed.