When people confront major stressful events, their responses range from the negative (e.g., depression, PTSD) to the positive, such as reporting posttraumatic growth and finding meaning in the event.  What predicts these responses and what effects do these seemingly ironic consequences of stress play in the adjustment process?  Dr. Updegraff has examined these questions in studies of people coping with HIV, violence, and exposure to terrorism.

Americans' search for meaning in 9/11. What were American's early cognitive responses to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and how did they contribute to long-term adjustment? Using a national probability sample of 931 respondents, Updegraff, Silver & Holman (2008) examined the predictors and long-term consequences of Americans’ degree of searching for meaning and ability to find meaning in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The ability to find meaning at 2-months post-attacks was associated with sociodemographics, pre-trauma mental health, as well as acute stress symptoms and the use of specific early coping strategies. More importantly, respondents who found more meaning in the early aftermath of 9/11 showed better adjustment across the two years following the attacks. Mediation analyses suggest that finding meaning in the attacks aided adjustment by reducing one's perceived risk of future terrorist attacks.

Perceived benefits among women living with HIV. How much do people really report positive changes in themselves and their lives when they are coping with chronic, life-threatening health conditions? This question was examined in an ethnically-diverse, low SES sample of HIV-positive women (Updegraff et al., 2002). This study coded and analyzed responses to open-ended interview questions about HIV-related changes in a number of life domains including the self, life priorities, romantic relations, and their view of their body. Overall, women reported a significantly greater number of benefits than losses in their experiences with HIV-infection. Changes in the domains of the self and life priorities were significantly positive, while changes in romantic/sexual relations and view of body were significantly negative. Furthermore, these perceptions were indeed tied to adjustment, as women who reported more benefits were less likely to report ongoing distress.

Longitudinal predictors of posttraumatic growth among victims of community violence. What are the early predictors of a person's ability to find positive changes and growth as a consequence of trauma? Updegraff & Marshall (2005) examined longitudinal predictors of perceived growth in a sample of 258 physically-injured survivors of community violence. We found that perceived growth at a 3 month follow-up was positively linked to baseline levels of both optimism and distress, even after adjusting for objective trauma severity.

 

Updegraff, J. A., Silver, R. C., & Holman, E. A. (2008). Searching for and finding meaning in a collective trauma: Results from a national longitudinal study of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 709-722. [PDF]

Updegraff, J. A. & Marshall, G. N. (2005). Predictors of perceived growth following direct exposure to community violence. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 538-560. [PDF]

Taylor, S. E., Lewis, B., Gruenwald, T., Gurung, R. A. R., Updegraff, J. A. & Klein, L. C. (2002). Sex differences in biobehavioral responses to threat: Reply to Geary and Flinn. Psychological Review, 109, 751-753. [PDF]

Updegraff, J. A., Taylor, S. E., Kemeny, M. E., & Wyatt, G. E. (2002). Positive and negative effects of HIV-infection in women with low socioeconomic resources. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 382-394. [PDF]

Updegraff, J. A., & Taylor, S. E. (2000). From vulnerability to growth: Positive and negative effects of stressful life events. In J. H. Harvey & E. Miller (Eds.), Loss and Trauma: General and Close Relationship Perspectives (pp. 3-28). Philadelphia: Brunner-Routledge. [PDF]

Taylor, S. E., Klein, L. C., Lewis, B. L., Gruenewald, T. L., Gurung, R. A. R., & Updegraff, J. A. (2000). Biobehavioral responses to stress in females: Tend-and-befriend, not fight-or-flight. Psychological Review, 107, 411-429. [PDF]

 

* Indicates KSU student author.