Psychosocial Factors Associated With Higher Functioning After Interpersonal Adversity: A National Cross-Sectional U.S. Study

Many psychosocial strengths have been studied in the positive psychology and resilience literatures. This presents a challenge for narrowing down the most helpful strengths for resilience, the process of overcoming trauma and adversity to achieve wellbeing. We bring together measures from two common strengths frameworks to see which ones are most closely associated with thriving after adversity. People who visited the values in action (VIA) website to complete the VIA questionnaire were invited to participate in a research study. 6,430 U.S. participants completed the VIA and answered questions on five psychosocial strengths (sense of purpose, psychological endurance, social support, eco-connections, and mindfulness), two types of adversities (interpersonal victimization and institutional betrayal), and three measures of current functioning (subjective wellbeing [SWB], health-related quality of life [HRQOL], and posttraumatic growth). Logistic regression analyses showed that higher levels of sense of purpose, hope, psychological endurance, zest, self-regulation, social support, and gratitude were significantly associated with above-average scores on all three indicators of functioning. Humor, mindfulness, bravery, perspective taking, love, teamwork, curiosity, and humility were associated with at least one positive outcome. Unexpectedly, several strengths were associated with poorer functioning in at least one analysis, including judgment, prudence, perseverance, creativity, appreciation of beauty, spirituality, kindness, teamwork, and social intelligence. In this first national study of institutional betrayal, it had a unique negative impact on SWB and HRQOL, even after accounting for interpersonal polyvictimization. Some strengths are more helpful for overcoming adversity than others. Although there are doubtless other benefits to these psychosocial strengths, some may create unexpected burdens that can hinder resilience. A basic science of healing can help identify the best intervention targets for people who have been exposed to trauma.