Stress-related growth and thriving through coping: the roles of personality and cognitive processes - Thriving: Broadening the Paradigm Beyond Illness to Health

Journal of Social Issues, Summer, 1998 by Crystal L. Park

Reports of stress-related growth and thriving may reflect accurate reports of positive changes observed by the person who has undergone the stressor or trauma. On the other hand, such reports can be part of a traumatized or stressed individual's way of attempting to cope with the stressor. Such coping may, in time, lead to growth by opening up these possibilities for the person.

Empirical research on coping and stress-related growth and thriving is lacking. Only a few studies have identified coping strategies that lead to stress-related growth and thriving. A study of college students dealing with a recent stressor identified several coping activities related to higher reports of stress-related growth, including positive reinterpretation coping, and, less strongly related, acceptance coping and emotional social support coping (Park et al., 1996). A longitudinal study of community-dwelling adults found that reports of dealing with a low point in their lives by using instrumental, problem-focused coping were positively related to experiencing positive outcomes, whereas using escapism was negatively related to experiencing positive outcomes (Aldwin et al., 1996).

Religious coping may be particularly related to growth and thriving. Several studies have found that religious coping is strongly related to stress-related growth (e.g., Park et al., 1996). Religious coping is complex: Specific types of religious coping may be especially related to stress-related growth and thriving, and religious coping may be particularly important for some groups. A study of residents of Oklahoma City shortly after the bombing of the Federal Building there revealed that positive types of religious coping, including relying on one's personal relationship with God and on religious social support, were strongly related to growth through coping with the bombing (Pargament, Smith, & Koenig, 1996). A study of church members dealing with a variety of life events found that the best predictors of stress-related growth were two types of religious coping, spiritually based religious coping (receiving emotional reassurance and guidance from God) and good-deeds coping (living a better, more religious life; Hettler & Cohen, 1997). A study of undergraduate women found that religious coping with a recent stressful event was related to stress-related growth for Protestant and nonaffiliated women but not for Catholic women (Park, 1997).

Comprehensive Models of Stress-Related Growth and Thriving

How do personal resources affect growth indirectly via these types of cognitive and behavioral coping responses that appear to lead to stress-related growth and thriving? Although research examining comprehensive models of personal resources, coping processes, and stress-related growth and thriving is sparse, there is reason to believe that future research based on such models will offer a richer, fuller view of the mechanisms through which growth occurs than current research, based on simplistic models, has provided (Saakvitne, Tennen, & Affleck, this issue). The literature on stress-related growth and thriving is full of promising hypotheses. For example, the value of characteristics such as hope and optimism as well as religious faith may be in helping people persevere in their coping efforts in the face of grave difficulties (Carver, this issue; Sethi & Seligman, 1993). Religious beliefs may also provide a theodicy or explanatory framework that can help individuals appraise potentially threatening situations as less threatening and more challenging, perhaps revealing possible strengths and positive outcomes that can be derived through suffering (Aldwin, 1994; Brandstadter & Renner, 1990).