Routledge Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth: Research and Practice

Posttraumatic growth is an area in which investigations are now being undertaken in many different parts of the world. The view that individuals can be changed--sometimes in radically good ways--by their struggle with trauma is ancient and widespread. However, the systematic focus by scholars and clinicians on the possibilities for growth from the struggle with crisis is relatively recent. There are now a growing number of studies and scholarly papers on the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of posttraumatic growth, and there are also theoretical models that can help guide the research further. It is clear, however, that this phenomenon is not yet well understood.The Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth: Research and Practice provides both clinicians and researchers with a comprehensive and up-to-date view of what has been done so far. In addition, it uses the foundations of what has been done to provide suggestions for the next useful steps to take in understanding posttraumatic growth. The book offers contributions of important and influential scholars representing a wide array of perspectives of posttraumatic growth. This volume serves as an impetus for additional work, both in the academic aspects and in the possibilities for clinical applications of posttraumatic growth.This Handbook will appeal to students, practitioners, and researchers working in a broad array of disciplines and human services. Review "...Calhoun and Tedeschi bring together the leading theoreticians, researchers, and practitioners in the subdiscipline called posttraumatic growth (PTG). The importance of this field is that it already includes a rich history of empirical research demonstrating that posttraumatic growth can be operationalized, assessed, and enhanced. The editors and authors of this text do an excellent job of identifying the major conceptual and clinical hurdles facing this fledgling field of study. Adding to the value of the text are the numerous chapters devoted to various aspects of trauma and their positive manifestations following different kinds of negative life experiences. This book makes a very important contribution toward the evolution of clinical psychology. Many people have had their symptoms reduced but still seek meaning and purpose. PTG provides a scientific framework to help them on this journey." - Frank Masterpasqua, in PsycCRITIQUES, Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books About the Author Lawrence G. Calhoun is Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and a practicing clinical psychologist. He received his doctorate from the University of Georgia, and he is co-author/co-editor of the books Dealing with Crisis (1976), Psychology and Human Reproduction (1980), Trauma and Transformation (1995), Posttraumatic Growth (1998), Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth (1999), and  Helping Bereaved Parents (2004). His scholarly work has been focused on the responses of persons encountering major life crises, particularly the phenomenon of posttraumatic growth.    He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of clinical areas and his professional practice has been focused on individuals and couples coping with highly challenging life circumstances.   Richard Tedeschi, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he teaches personality and psychotherapy. He received his doctorate from Ohio University and is a Licensed Psychologist specializing in bereavement and trauma. He has recently published Helping Bereaved Parents: A Clinicians Guide, with his colleague, Lawrence Calhoun. They have also published three books on posttraumatic growth: Trauma and Transformation, Posttraumatic Growth, and Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth. He has served as a consultant to the American Psychological Association in developing  materials on trauma and resilience for the use of psychologists and the public.