Family resilience and posttraumatic growth among caregivers of children with disabilities: A longitudinal study
Family Relations / Family Relations Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies
Published online on May 08, 2026
Abstract
["Family Relations, EarlyView. ", "\nAbstract\n\nObjective\nThe goal was to explore the longitudinal bidirectional relationship between family resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among caregivers of children with disabilities.\n\n\nBackground\nIn collectivist cultures, families play a central role in individual psychological adaptation following trauma. Although prior research has examined the link between individual resilience and PTG, little is known about how family resilience dynamically relates to PTG, particularly among caregivers of children with disabilities.\n\n\nMethod\nThis study drew on three‐wave longitudinal data collected over 6 months from 240 family caregivers of children with disabilities in China. A random intercept cross‐lagged panel model was used to examine both within‐person and between‐person associations between family resilience and PTG.\n\n\nResults\nResults showed that (a) at the within‐person level, family resilience and PTG predicted each other over time, suggesting a bidirectional, mutually reinforcing relationship; and (b) at the between‐person level, stable individual differences in family resilience were positively associated with stable differences in PTG, indicating trait‐level coupling. These findings extend trauma adaptation models by revealing a reciprocal relationship between family resilience and PTG over time.\n\n\nConclusions\nThese findings reveal a reciprocal link between family resilience and PTG, extending trauma recovery models and guiding culturally informed interventions for caregivers of children with disabilities in collectivist contexts.\n\n"]