Predictors of Posttraumatic Growth: Insights From a Comparison Between Assault Victims and Nonassault Victims.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) has been investigated in many different areas of trauma, including cancer, occupation-related injuries, and crimes. In the current study, we aimed to examine the effects of traumatic events on the victims' PTG. The current study was a survey study with group comparison. We recruited 143 victims of trauma (74 nonassault victims and 69 assault victims) and compared victims' PTG and its related factors according to the trauma type. Nonassault victims showed better outcomes in terms of adverse childhood experience, depression, anxiety, and acceptance than assault victims. Only for assault victims, PTG was predicted significantly by the individuals' resilience. For nonassault victims, anxiety showed significance in predicting PTG. Assault victims seemed to be at significantly higher risk for psychological issues in adaptation afterward than nonassault victims. The implications of the results, including more tailored support for assault victims, as well as future study suggestions, are discussed.