Trauma appraisals and posttraumatic growth among survivors of sexual assault.

Objective: Trauma survivors often endorse some level of posttraumatic growth (PTG), referring to positive outcomes after trauma related to meaning-making and strengthened perceptions of the self. While extant research points to cognitive processes at the root of PTG, posttrauma cognitions such as shame, fear, and self-blame have thus far only been linked to negative outcomes of trauma exposure. The current study examines the association between posttrauma appraisals and PTG among victims of interpersonal violence.