The protective function of personal growth initiative among a genocide-affected population in Rwanda

Blackie, Laura E.R.; Jayawickreme, Eranda; Forgeard, Marie, J.C.; Jayawickreme, Nuwan

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate the extent to which individual differences in personal growth initiative (PGI) were associated with lower reports of functional impairment of daily activities among a genocide-affected population in Rwanda. PGI measures an individual’s motivation to develop as a person and the extent to which he or she is active in setting goals that work toward achieving self-improvement. We found that PGI was negatively associated with functional impairment when controlling for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other demographic factors. Our results suggest that PGI may constitute an important mindset for facilitating adaptive functioning in the aftermath of adversity and in the midst of psychological distress, and as such they might have practical applications for the development of intervention programs.

Citation

Blackie, L. E., Jayawickreme, E., Forgeard, M. J., & Jayawickreme, N. (2015). The protective function of personal growth initiative among a genocide-affected population in Rwanda. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 7(4), https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000010.search

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 15, 2014
• Publication Date: Jul 15, 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 22, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 22, 2016
• Journal: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
• Print ISSN: 1942-9681
• Electronic ISSN: 1942-9681
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000010.search
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/756834
• Publisher URL: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&id=2014-48764-001
• Additional Information: This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.