This study aimed to explore traumatic experiences and posttraumatic growth among Korean veterans.

A qualitative study was conducted using photovoice. Purposive sampling strategies yielded five veterans who had experienced traumatic events. Participants engaged in three discussion sessions between August 5, 2023, and October 28, 2023. The collected data were analyzed using photovoice document analysis and thematic analysis.

Study results identified the following themes: ‘The collapse of my life as a result massive trauma,’ ‘Sinking into endless isolation and disconnection,’ ‘The process of finding myself through reflection,’ and ‘My life journey moving forward together.’ Despite the irreversible damage caused by traumatic experiences during military service, the participants continuously reflected on the meaning of their trauma and posttraumatic growth, thereby recovering their authentic selves.

Veterans who have experienced traumatic events face severe difficulties, however through their efforts at recovery, they recognize the individuals they are now. This study suggests the need for social support and highlights the necessity of providing various opportunities and policy assistance to traumatized veterans.

The purpose of this study was to explain a structural model of posttraumatic growth among psychiatric nurses based on existing models and a literature review and verify its effectiveness.

Data were collected from psychiatric nurses in one special city, four metropolitan cities, and three regional cities from February to March 2016. Exogenous variables included hardiness and distress perception, while endogenous variables included self-disclosure, social support, deliberate rumination, and posttraumatic growth. Data from 489 psychiatric nurses were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 19.0 and AMOS 20.0.

The modified model was a good fit for the data. Tests on significance of the pathways of the modified model showed that nine of the 14 paths were supported, and the explanatory power of posttraumatic growth by included variables in the model was 69.2%. For posttraumatic growth among psychiatric nurses, deliberate rumination had a direct effect as the variable that had the largest influence. Indirect effects were found in the order of hardiness, social support, and distress perception. Self-disclosure showed both direct and indirect effects.

A strategy to improve deliberate rumination is necessary when seeking to improve posttraumatic growth among psychiatric nurses. Enhancing psychiatric nurses’ hardiness before trauma would enable them to actively express negative emotions after trauma, allowing them to receive more social support. This would improve deliberate rumination and consequently help promote psychological growth among psychiatric nurses who have experienced trauma.