Citation

Connor KM, Davidson JRT, Lee LC. J. Trauma. Stress 2003; 16(5): 487-494.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. kathryn.connor@duke.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1023/A:1025762512279

PMID

14584633

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship between spirituality, resilience, anger and health status, and posttraumatic symptom severity in trauma survivors. A community sample (N = 1,200) completed an online survey that included measures of resilience, spirituality (general beliefs and reincarnation), anger, forgiveness, and hatred. In survivors of violent trauma (n = 648), these measures were evaluated with respect to their relationship to physical and mental health, trauma-related distress, and posttraumatic symptom severity. Using multivariate regression models, general spiritual beliefs and anger emerged in association with each outcome, whereas resilience was associated with health status and posttraumatic symptom severity only. Forgiveness, hatred, and beliefs in reincarnation were not associated with outcome. The importance of these findings to treating trauma survivors is discussed.

Language: en