Objectives/purpose: This study examines the relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG) and self-event connections—key meaning-making components in life narratives—among breast cancer survivors. While PTG is often understood as a cognitive process involving meaning-making, it remains unclear to what extent the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) reflects narrative-based meaning-making. Our study addresses this gap by analyzing self-event connections, connection types (explanation, change, reveal), and emotional narrative structures (redemption and contamination) across life story scenes.
Sample and setting: The study included 126 breast cancer survivors, with a mean age of 49.39 years and diverse diagnoses (stages 0-III). Interviews were conducted an average of 3.69 years (SD=1.09) post-diagnosis.
Procedures: They completed PTGI and were interviewed regarding their life stories. The narratives were coded for the following indicators: self-event connection, type of self-event connection (including explanation, change, and reveal), redemption, and contamination.
Results: Higher PTGI scores were associated with more self-event connections, change connections, redemption, and fewer explanatory connections. The relations between the PTGI and narrative indicators differed across scenes and were more prominent in the low-point scene.
Conclusion and clinical implications: Findings imply that self-reflection and positive self-change are linked to higher PTG, especially when individuals reframe negative experiences into growth rather than simply maintaining their existing self-concept. Our findings provide evidence for the convergent validity of the PTGI and underscore the importance of cognitive processing for personal growth. Being able to make meaning from low-point stories has a key impact on posttraumatic growth after cancer.