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Cited by 68Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchResilience and Mental HealthIdentity, Memory, and Therapy

Narrative reconstruction and post-traumatic growth among trauma survivors: The importance of narrative in social work research and practice

Jirek, Sarah L·2017·Qualitative Social Work
DOI 10.1177/1473325016656046
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Abstract

A substantial body of theoretical work on meaning-making processes postulates that assisting clients in reconstructing their personal narratives in the aftermath of trauma helps survivors to integrate the traumatic experience into their identities and life stories. However, the relationship between trauma survivors’ (re-)construction of a coherent life narrative and their development of post-traumatic growth (PTG) has rarely been explored. In this study, I conducted life story interviews with 46 university students with trauma histories to examine: (1) How, and to what degree, trauma survivors (re-)construct a coherent life narrative; and (2) If and how this process is connected to the development of PTG. I found that survivors who were able to articulate a coherent story about their lives experienced more PTG, and I identified key characteristics of three stages of post-trauma change. I also found that trauma-related therapy, writing, informal conversations, and self-reflection played important roles in the narrative reconstruction process. I argue that some narratives are easier to reconstruct than others because not all narratives are equally valued in society. The presence or absence of narratives in the discursive environment, the reception these stories receive within society, and the access that individuals have to these narratives are influenced by the historical moment, social norms, politics, power, privilege, and individuals’ social locations. To promote empowermen…

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Howard GS, 1989, A Tale of Two Stories: Excursions into a Narrative Psychology
  2. McAdams DP, 1993, The Stories We Live By: Personal Myths and the Making of the Self
  3. Neimeyer RA (Ed.) (2001a) Meaning Reconstruction and the Experience of Loss . Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  4. O’Leary VE, 1995, Women’s Health: Research on Gender, Behavior, and Policy, 1, 121
  5. Pennebaker JW, 1997, Opening up: The Healing Power of Emotional Expression
  6. Sewell KW, 1997, Advances in Personal Construct Psychology, 4, 207

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Authors
Jirek, S. L.
Affiliations
Westmont College (US)
Corresponding author
Jirek, Sarah L
ORCID
Jirek, Sarah L
Venue
Qualitative Social Work
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2016-08-01
Volume
16
Issue
2
Pages
166-188
ISSN
  • 1473-3250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1741-3117
DOI
10.1177/1473325016656046
OpenAlex
W2469236510
Semantic Scholar
7772c8c57e9ca1836d72ee1776175ec00a0fb4f8
Cited by
68
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 1
FWCI
5.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
Qualitative Social Work (publishedVersion)
Funders
University of Michigan
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Keywords
narrative reconstruction, posttraumatic growth, trauma survivors, life stories, meaning-making, social work practice, social justice, empowerment, trauma treatment, writing, self-reflection, university students

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