Factor structure of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory in a Spanish sample of adult victims of interpersonal violence in childhood

Abstract

Research interest in trauma as a possible cause of growth has increased in recent decades. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) is widely used to measure growth after traumatic events. The present study aimed at validating the Spanish version of the PTGI in a sample of 243 young adults (age range from 18 to 35 years old, M = 21 years, SD = 2.5) who experienced interpersonal victimization during their childhood and/or adolescence. Preliminary analyses showed acceptable reliability for the PTGI subscales (Cronbach's α ranging from .61 to .89). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure that included «new perception of life», «relating to others», «personal strength», and «spiritual change». All types of victimization correlated significantly with PTGI scores. These findings provide support for the factorial validity of the PTGI and the use of the PTGI in future research examining posttraumatic growth among Spanish victims of interpersonal violence in childhood.