Presenter(s):

Nyambeni Matamela, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Abstract

Trauma exposure across the life course can lead to enduring psychological sequelae, particularly in older adulthood, where cumulative exposure to trauma often contributes to diminished mental health. Trauma-related beliefs, specifically those concerning safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and control, represent critical pathways through which trauma impacts psychological well-being. Negative trauma-related cognitions may impair resilience, increase vulnerability to distress, and undermine healthy ageing. Post-traumatic growth (PTG), encompassing dimensions such as personal strength and spiritual change, has been proposed as a protective factor that buffers against the psychological impacts of trauma. This study explores the interrelationships between trauma exposure, trauma-related beliefs, and PTG among older adults and tests whether PTG dimensions moderate the impact of trauma exposure on specific trauma-related belief domains.
A cross-sectional sample of 195 adults aged 60 years and older completed validated measures assessing trauma exposure, trauma-related beliefs across five domains, and post-traumatic growth. Correlational analyses revealed that trauma exposure was moderately associated with greater endorsement of trauma-related beliefs (r = .365, p < .001). Among trauma belief dimensions, trauma exposure was most strongly associated with negative beliefs about esteem (r = .346, p < .001), control (r = .315, p < .001), and intimacy (r = .295, p < .001), while relationships with beliefs about safety and trust were weak and nonsignificant.
Correlations between PTG dimensions and trauma-related beliefs demonstrated that personal strength and spiritual change were most strongly associated with adaptive beliefs. Personal strength was negatively correlated with negative beliefs about esteem (r = –.557, p < .001) and control (r = –.543, p < .001), while spiritual change showed similarly strong negative associations with esteem (r = –.636, p < .001) and control (r = –.644, p < .001).
To further investigate these relationships, three sets of moderated moderation analyses were conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 2). For esteem, trauma exposure significantly predicted greater negative beliefs (b = 3.6685, p < .001), with personal strength moderating this relationship (b = –0.1496, p = .0138). Spiritual change did not significantly moderate the trauma–esteem relationship (b = –0.0103, p = .9027) but exerted a direct protective effect (b = –0.6150, p < .001).
For control, trauma exposure predicted greater negative beliefs (b = 2.6263, p = .0005), with personal strength again moderating the relationship (b = –0.1116, p = .0449). Spiritual change did not moderate the trauma–control relationship (b = 0.0113, p = .8840) but exerted a direct protective effect (b = –0.6190, p < .001).
For intimacy, trauma exposure significantly predicted intimacy difficulties (b = 1.6987, p = .0005). In this model, spiritual change, but not personal strength, moderated the trauma–intimacy relationship (b = –0.1393, p = .0065), indicating that higher levels of spiritual change buffered against intimacy difficulties following trauma exposure.
These findings suggest that distinct dimensions of post-traumatic growth play differentiated roles in fostering resilience among older adults. Personal strength appears critical for maintaining self-worth and control following trauma, whereas spiritual change may preserve relational functioning. These insights highlight the importance of strength-based, trauma-informed interventions that cultivate both internal resilience and spiritual meaning-making to support healthy ageing.

Bio(s):

Dr. Nyambeni Matamela is a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer at the University of Pretoria. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including topics on Diversity and Mental Health, Trauma and Crisis Intervention, and Burnout and Vicarious Traumatisation. Dr. Matamela’s research focuses on trauma across the lifespan, with a particular interest in its impact on older adults as marginalized populations. As a private practitioner and community engagement representative, she integrates her academic expertise with applied interventions to support vulnerable groups.

Email: nyambeni.matamela@up.ac.za