The facilitation of posttraumatic growth in the therapeutic setting

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate how Maltese mental health professionals facilitate posttraumatic growth with adult cancer survivors. The study aimed to explore if professionals use specific strategies in their therapeutic interventions that explicitly target posttraumatic growth and what principles of the posttraumatic growth framework are most important when facilitating it. The research also sought to find out if different interventions and principles are used with individuals who have experienced a different type of crisis. A qualitative approach was taken and four participants were recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were carried out virtually. Four main themes emerged from the data; a therapeutic alliance to facilitate growth, group interventions to promote client growth, existential issues in psychotherapeutic interventions, and the road to PTG. The findings show that professionals don’t use interventions that target posttraumatic growth specifically, they work holistically with what the client presents. Mainly, it is their presence and support that promotes this positive growth. Results showed that group interventions are very effective for developing growth however they may have drawbacks. Participants mentioned that some important principles of posttraumatic growth are meaning-making, family connectedness, and reframing. Additionally, posttraumatic growth is not encouraged differently with individuals who have experienced a different type of trauma however, cancer survivors differ because they’re more likely to experience existential issues and a fear of cancer reoccurrence.