Measurement and Prediction of Stress-Related Growth in a Post-Pandemic College Sample

• In Event: Mental Health and Resilience across Developmental Contexts

Abstract

To support optimal human development, it is important to understand whether and how positive psychological change might arise from stressful life events. This process has been theorized as Stress-Related Growth (SRG) and measured via the Stress-Related Growth Scale (SRGS). The present study sought to validate the SRGS and identify significant psychological correlates of SRG. Using two survey samples of U.S. college students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we performed principal factor analysis and hierarchical linear regression to determine the factor structure and significant predictors of SRG. Our findings suggest that a single factor comprises the construct, and we identify Self-Compassion and Purpose (SCP) as a strong and robust predictor of SRG.

Authors

• Thomas J. Bischoff, Temple University

• Xu Jiang, Temple University