Assessing Post Traumatic Growth and Life Satisfaction following Spousal Bereavement

Post traumatic growth (PTG) emphasizes the importance of positive transformation following a traumatic event. The present study examines gender differences and the role of PTG in predicting Life Satisfaction (LS) following spousal bereavement. For this, bereaved participants (N=60) completed measures of posttraumatic growth and life satisfaction. Comparative analyses indicated significant differences among genders on the measures of LS and PTG (dimensions namely new possibilities, relating to others, spiritual change). Results of regression analyses indicated significant contribution of PTG in LS among bereaved participants. Deductive thematic analyses identified themes through a process of reading and re-reading the data to find patterns in order to develop a deeper understanding of human experiences. The research was concluded by briefly foregrounding some of the study’s implications and future directions.