The interaction of post-traumatic growth and post-traumatic stress symptoms in predicting depressive symptoms and quality of life

Objective: We sought to explore whether post-traumatic growth (PTG) (positive change or benefit finding resulting from trauma) moderates relationships between post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and both depression and quality of life (QOL) among breast cancer survivors. Methods: We interviewed 161 women previously treated for early stage breast cancer. We assessed PTG using the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory, PTSS using the PTSD Checklist, depressive symptoms using the CES-D and QOL using the FACT-B. Results: Higher PTSS was associated with greater depressive symptoms and lower QOL (p < 0.01). The relationship between PTSS and depression was attenuated among women with higher levels of PTG (PTSS x PTG interaction, p < 0.05). The same pattern of results was found for QOL (interaction p < 0.01). Conclusions: We report the novel finding that PTG moderated relationships between PTSS and both depression and QOL. We speculate that finding positive meaning in response to a distressing event, such as diagnosis of cancer, may be psychologically protective and could indirectly influence the long-term occurrence of depressive symptoms and impaired QOL. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.