How are experiences and acceptability of child maltreatment related to resilience and posttraumatic growth: a cross cultural study

Background: Post-traumatic growth (PTG) and resilience, regarded as positive psychological change following a traumatic experience, are under-researched across cultures in people exposed to child maltreatment (CM). Objective: We investigated how experiences and the perceived acceptability of CM are related to resilience and PTG in countries with different cultures, living standards, and gross national income. Method: A total of 478 adults from Cameroon (n = 111), Canada (n = 137), Japan (n = 108), and Germany (n = 122) completed an online survey with self-reported questionnaires, including the Brief Resilience Scale and the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form. Results: Across countries, self-reported male gender and age were positively associated with resilience, while experiences of physical abuse and emotional maltreatment were negatively associated with resilience. Experiences of emotional maltreatment were positively associated with PTG. Higher levels of PTG and resilience were found amongst Cameroonian participants as compared to other countries. Conclusion: Our results suggest that positive changes following CM can vary significantly across cultures and that experiences of specific CM subtypes, but not the perceived acceptability of CM, may be important for a deeper understanding of how individuals overcome trauma and develop salutogenic outcomes. Our findings may inform CM intervention programmes for an enhanced cultural sensitivity.