Personally important posttraumatic growth in adolescents: The effect on self-esteem beyond commonly defined posttraumatic growth.

Research on posttraumatic growth (PTG), positive psychological changes that may occur as a result of highly stressful life events, reveals adolescents are able to experience PTG. The current study tests individual differences among adolescents in relative importance of PTG and examines the relationships among personally important PTG, commonly defined PTG, and self-esteem. Adolescents (N = 145) with the mean age of 15.75 (SD = 1.13) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and PTG Inventory, and then reported which items on the PTG Inventory were personally important to them. Results indicated within-scale differences in item importance on the PTG Inventory. Personally important PTG was a better predictor of adolescent self-esteem than commonly defined PTG, measured as total PTGI score or each of the five factors. These findings suggest future research should look at both short-term and long-term effects of personally important PTG as well as commonly defined PTG.