Citation

Lee MH, Raitt J, Hong BA, Diduck A, Nguyen AMTT, Villareal A, Moden M, Turner B, North CS, Pollio DE. Traumatology 2022; 28(2): 202-210.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Green Cross Academy of Traumatology, Publisher APA Journals)

DOI

10.1037/trm0000326

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Survivors of disasters can be expected to form meaningful perspectives on their experiences that shape their trajectories of recovery; thus, these perspectives are important to study. If humans are naturally compelled to create meaning from traumatic experiences, the creation of meaning should be evident in survivors' discussion of the effects of the disaster in their lives. Therefore, the purpose of this study of highly trauma-exposed disaster survivors was to identify meaningful aspects or outcomes of their disaster experiences in their perspectives. This study examined a random sample (N = 182) of survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing 6 months after the disaster using open-ended questions. Text responses (N = 650) were compiled, themes identified by multiple coders, responses coded into the themes, interrater reliability established, and the themes were then interpreted. A total of 6 themes were identified and grouped into 3 general categories: personal aspirations (reprioritizing life and altruism and self-improvement), connection with others (a freestanding category/theme), and making meaning (appreciation for life, religion and spirituality, and contemplating life, death, and humanity), which contained the majority of the responses. The findings from this study affirm the human need to make meaning from the experience of a traumatic disaster and suggest the potential relevance to survivors' recovery of therapies based on the creation of meaning and the promotion of positive growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Language: en