Distinguishing post-traumatic growth from psychological adjustment among Rwandan genocide survivors
Date
2017Grant ID
AH/M004155/2
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Abstract
Research into post-traumatic growth describes the potentially transformative and positive impact that highly challenging and traumatic life experiences can have on an individual’s identity, relationships and worldviews. The positive changes individuals identify in the aftermath of challenging circumstances are theorised to be more than fleeting positive illusions, and instead represent enduring character development. However, a central debate in this literature is whether post-traumatic growth is really more than psychological adjustment to a difficult post-trauma reality. In this chapter, we draw upon testimonial data from a sample of survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda to differentiate these two processes. This population provides a relevant context with which to evaluate this question, as the severity of the genocide made adjustment to post-genocide life a tragic necessity.
Citation
Blackie , L E R , Jayawickreme , E , Hitchcott , N & Joseph , S 2017 , Distinguishing post-traumatic growth from psychological adjustment among Rwandan genocide survivors . in D Carr , J Arthur & K Kristjánsson (eds) , Varieties of Virtue Ethics . Palgrave Macmillan , pp. 299-317 . https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59177-7_18
Publication
Varieties of Virtue Ethics
Status
Peer reviewed
Type
Book item
Rights
© 2017, the Author(s). This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at link.springer.com / https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59177-7_18
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