Weaving togther material from diverse literatures within psychology, this work provides a critical synthesis of research and theory on the experience of personal growth or strengthening that often occurs in persons who have faced traumatic events. Dealing with the "flip side" of the struggle with trauma, namely growth, and learning about persons who discover or create the perception of positive changes and growth, may shed light on those who continue to suffer. It pays attention to a variety of traumas - bereavement, physical disability, terminal illnesses, combat, rape, and natural disaster. Among the phenomema relevant to understanding posttraumatic growth are the concept of "resilience", or successful coping with high risk childhoods, happiness, sense of well-being, self-actualization and stress inoculation, belief systems, schemata, religious conversions, and social change. The authors discuss how overcoming life's worst experiences can produce new opportunities for individual and social development.
Chapters include research summaries in the field, descriptions of measurement issues and instruments, theory development and perspectives that span literatures in developmental, social, personality, cognitive, and clinical psychology.