Do Traumatic Life Events Lead to Increases in Volunteerism?

Patricia A. Frazier

University of Minnesota

The vast majority of people experience some traumatic event in their lifetime, such as a sudden bereavement, a life-threatening illness, or a violent crime. However, our knowledge of the effects of traumatic life events is severely limited because virtually all of our information comes from studies of people who have already experienced some traumatic event. In addition, although most research has focused on the negative effects of traumatic events, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a growing body of research suggests that the vast majority of trauma survivors report positive changes in their lives as a result of the trauma, such as greater life appreciation and closer relationships.

Although research on posttraumatic positive life changes has yielded a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of trauma, it also is limited in certain respects. First, concerns increasingly are being raised about whether self-reports of growth can be taken at face value (e.g., whether individuals’ relationships really are closer after a trauma). Indeed, there are several reasons why self-reports of personal growth following trauma may not reflect actual life changes (e.g., people may report growth merely because they feel it is expected of them). Second, most research on posttraumatic growth has focused on internal self-oriented changes rather than changes in outward prosocial behaviors. However, many important social movements (e.g., Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) have been started by people who have suffered traumatic events and have subsequently devoted their lives to reducing the frequency and impact of those events. We know little about the frequency with which individuals engage in such behaviors after traumatic events.

The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of the effects of traumatic life events by assessing individuals before and experiencing a traumatic event. This is the only way to really know whether and how individuals have changed – for the better or worse -as a result of a traumatic event. To identify individuals who will experience a trauma, we are following a large number of students over time, some of whom will experience traumatic events during that time. Our goal is to identify different trajectories of life change following traumatic life events as well as variables that predict different trajectories.

During Fall Semester 2006, we began data collection at four universities (University of Minnesota, Kent State University, University of Connecticut, University of Maryland). Students (N = 742) completed the initial online survey in September 2006 and a second online survey in November 2006. Of the 655 students who completed the time 2 survey, 56 experienced a traumatic event (as defined in the DSM-IV) that caused considerable or extreme distress. Those 56 students (and a demographically-matched comparison group that did not experience a trauma) will complete two more online surveys in February (time 3) and April (time 4) 2007 for which they will be paid $25. We also are currently recruiting a second cohort of approximately 750 students who will complete the time 1 and time 2 surveys. From this group we will identify another trauma (and matched comparison) group who will complete two more surveys. A grant from CSIS is providing funding to compensate these participants.

The surveys contain the following types of measures. The Time 1 survey contains demographic information, standardized measures of trauma exposure and symptoms (to assess preexisting traumatic events and their effects), and a broad range of standardized measures of distress, well-being, and perceived growth. Pretrauma factors assessed at Time 1 that might affect trajectories of posttrauma functioning include the Big Five personality factors, optimism, pre-trauma world assumptions, and self-esteem. In subsequent surveys (Times 2, 3, and 4) we assess traumatic events experienced over the past 2 months. Individuals who have experienced a trauma complete measures regarding the event (i.e., severity and controllability), posttrauma factors hypothesized to affect recovery (e.g., coping, social support), PTSD symptoms, and positive and negative life changes resulting from the trauma. Those who have not experienced a traumatic event complete measures of positive and negative changes in their lives over a corresponding time period. All participants complete the distress and well-being measures.

With regard to the relation between trauma and volunteerism, using data from the cohort 1 time 1 survey, we found that individuals who had experienced more traumatic events in their past reported engaging in more prosocial behavior, including more volunteer work. With support from the CSIS, we have added a component to this larger study that will allow us to more fully assess the relation between experiencing a traumatic life event and engaging in more prosocial and volunteer behaviors. For example, we have added a 19-item volunteer behavior checklist to the time 3 and 4 surveys on which participants indicate what volunteer behaviors they have engaged in over the past 2 months. This will allow us to assess whether individuals who have experienced a recent trauma engage in more volunteer behavior than those in the no-trauma comparison group. At time 4 we also assess motivations for volunteering to assess whether these differ across groups, and ask specifically whether the motivation for volunteering is related to having experienced a traumatic event. In the Cohort 2 time 1 survey we also ask about past volunteer behaviors, as well as leadership in volunteer organizations. This will allow us to assess whether participants who have a history of volunteering or of leadership in volunteer activities are more likely to volunteer after a traumatic event.

Co-investigators on this project include Patricia Tomich, Kent State University; Ty Tashiro, University of Maryland; Crystal Park and Howard Tennen, University of Connecticut; and Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun, University of North Carolina – Charlotte as well as several graduate and undergraduate students.