A correlational test of the relationship between posttraumatic growth, religion, and cognitive processing

The present study examined the degree to which event related rumination, a quest orientation to religion, and religious involvement is related to post traumatic growth. Fifty-four young adults, selected based on prescreening f or experience of a traumatic event, completed a measure of event I-elated r uminations, the Quest Scale, an index of religious participation, and the P osttraumatic Growth Inventory. The three subscales of the Quest Scale, the two groups of ruminition items (soon after event/within past two weeks), an d the index of religious participation were entered in a standard multiple regression with the total score of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory as th e dependent variable. The degree of rumination soon after the event and the degree of openness to religious change were significantly related to Postt raumatic Growth. Congruent with theoretical predictions, more rumination so on after the event, and greater openness to religious change were related t o more posttraumatic growth. Present findings offer some confirmation of th eoretical predictions, and also offer clear direction for further research on the relationships of religion, rumination, and posttraumatic growth.