Date of Conferral
3-27-2025
Date of Award
March 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Michael Johnson
Abstract
Clinical psychologists report experiencing higher levels of trauma than other professionals, potentially impacting their ability to provide effective mental healthcare services. Although trauma can result in psychological problems, it can also result in posttraumatic growth (PTG). The purpose of this research was to explore the role of PTG in the decision to become a clinical psychologist to help inform the recruitment and training of clinical psychologists. The theoretical foundations of this study were PTG, vocational choice theory (VCT), and career construction theory (CCT). The key research question of this study was, “What is the role of PTG in the decision to become a clinical psychologist?” This study used a basic qualitative design consisting of structured interviews with licensed psychologists to identify general, individual, and superordinate themes in participants’ career decision-making processes. Key results were that PTG played a role in the career decisions of participants in the form of learned helping skills, increased empathy, enhanced therapeutic traits, therapy attendance, increased desire for social justice, and increased curiosity about human behavior. These results demonstrated that PTG arising from clinical psychologists’ trauma may be viewed as a source of strength and used to inform clinical psychologists’ recruitment and training. An implication for positive social change is a better-trained workforce of clinical psychologists to close the large and growing mental health care gap.
Recommended Citation
Warmke, Richard, "Up From the Ashes: The Role of Posttraumatic Growth in the Decision to Become a Clinical Psychologist" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17534.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17534
