Posttraumatic Growth of Stroke Survivors and Its Correlation With Rumination and Social Support

OBJECTIVE: This study focused on gaining insight into the positive changes of stroke survivors. This study aimed to describe the level of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and explore its correlation with rumination and social support in stroke survivors. The impacts of individual characteristics on PTG were also discussed. METHODS: A descriptive correlation design was used in this study. Stroke survivors from a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou City were investigated. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Chinese version of Event Related Rumination Inventory, and Perceived Social Support Scale were used to assess the level of PTG, rumination, and social support. RESULTS: The mean (SD) score of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory was 61.12 (25.41). There were moderate positive correlations between PTG with rumination and social support among stroke survivors (r1 = 0.392, r2 = 0.336, P < .01). The level of education, support from family, and deliberate rumination accounted for 34.6% of the total variance in PTG (F = 11.554, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The phenomenon of PTG of stroke patients in hospital existed, but it was at a low level. Stroke survivors with a higher level of rumination, social support, and a university level education had a higher level of PTG.