Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Mathews, Samantha L.
Language:	English
Published:	Xavier University / OhioLINK 2019
Subjects:	Psychology Trauma meaning making posttraumatic growth post traumatic stress disorder PTSD LIWC shattered assumptions
Online Access:	http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1558042915273947

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spelling	ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-xavier15580429152739472021-08-03T07:11:12Z Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events Mathews, Samantha L. Psychology Trauma meaning making posttraumatic growth post traumatic stress disorder PTSD LIWC shattered assumptions The theory of shattered assumptions asserts that traumatic events destroy individuals’ basic beliefs that they are worthy of love and that the world is a reasonably benevolent and orderly place (Janoff-Bulmann, 1992). Researchers have relied on this theory to understand the connection between cognitive word usage and both PTSD symptoms and posttraumatic growth (PTG), speculating that individuals who use more cognitive words are able to rebuild resilient assumptions about themselves and the world by making meaning out of out their trauma. Using an expressive writing prompt and the Language Inquiry Word Count Software (LIWC; Pennebaker et al., 2015), the present study (N = 114) sought to determine if meaning-making mediates the relationships between cognitive word usage and PTSD symptoms, and between cognitive word usage and PTG. Contrary to hypotheses and previous research, the mediation analyses indicated that cognitive word usage predicted more, not fewer, PTSD symptoms. Meaning-making predicted more PTSD symptoms and PTG, and it did not act as a mediator for the relationship between cognitive word usage and PTSD or PTG. These findings challenge previous researchers’ speculation and provide important information regarding the conceptualization of trauma and traumatic growth. 2019 English text Xavier University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1558042915273947 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1558042915273947 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection	NDLTD
language	English
sources	NDLTD
topic	Psychology Trauma meaning making posttraumatic growth post traumatic stress disorder PTSD LIWC shattered assumptions
spellingShingle	Psychology Trauma meaning making posttraumatic growth post traumatic stress disorder PTSD LIWC shattered assumptions Mathews, Samantha L. Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events
author	Mathews, Samantha L.
author_facet	Mathews, Samantha L.
author_sort	Mathews, Samantha L.
title	Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events
title_short	Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events
title_full	Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events
title_fullStr	Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events
title_full_unstemmed	Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events
title_sort	meaning-making, psychological outcomes, and language use when describing traumatic events
publisher	Xavier University / OhioLINK
publishDate	2019
url	http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1558042915273947
work_keys_str_mv	AT mathewssamanthal meaningmakingpsychologicaloutcomesandlanguageusewhendescribingtraumaticevents
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Meaning-Making, Psychological Outcomes, and Language Use when Describing Traumatic Events

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