Predictors of posttraumatic growth in men and women

Introduction and objectives
Traumatic experiences are relatively frequent, however, not all victims develop negative psychological outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in victims of different traumatic events.

Materials and methods
The sample was composed of 198 women (M = 33.37; SD = 11.91) and 99 men (M = 35.30; SD = 12.54) who experienced different traumatic events. To identify the predictors of PTG, structural equation modeling was performed, considering as predictive variables: optimism, sense of life and resilience.

Results
No significant differences were found in the study variables by sex; nevertheless, given that the correlation matrix showed differences between men and women, separate models were estimated. Although the models showed some differences, both for women and men, the strength and self-confidence factor was the main predictor.

Conclusions
Results indicate the importance of both individual and environmental variables, which facilitate an adaptive coping style to achieve PTG.