Life adversities, traumatic stress, and post-traumatic growth of high school learners in South Africa

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between life adversities, traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth in a sample of 300 high school learners, in Limpopo Province in South Africa, between the ages of 13 and 21 years old. This is a quantitative study that used a correlational research design in order to achieve the study aim. This study had four objectives (1) to explore the prevalence of exposure to life adversities and traumatic stress (2) to explore the nature of the relationship between life adversities and traumatic stress (3) to explore the role of post-traumatic growth on the relationship between life adversities and traumatic stress, (4) to determine life adversities, traumatic stress, and post-traumatic growth according to gender difference. The results showed that 70 percent of the participants reported having been exposed to at least one adverse event in their lifetime. 31.3 percent of these participants reported enough symptoms that are suggestive to of significant distress based on the PTSD screening tool. Furthermore, the finding indicated that there is a significant positive correlation (with a regression coefficient of β = 0.512, t = 10.404, p < 0.001) between exposure to life adversities and traumatic stress, while traumatic stress is positively and significantly related (with a regression coefficient of β = 0.152, t = 3. 090, p = 0.002) to PTG. PTG was not indicated to have a significant moderating role in the relationship between exposure to life adversities (frequency) and traumatic stress. Finally, the results indicated that there is no statistically significant differences in exposure to life adversities as well as the prevalence of traumatic stress across the two genders.