ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the post-traumatic growth (PTG) that many victims report following a traumatic event and focuses on the terrorists and the attacks they undertake, evidence-based research has uncovered effective support and treatment protocols, as well as the efficacy of using a psychosocial approach in the aftermath. Park and Helgeson report that in the aftermath of a crisis and its impacts, victims will often re-evaluate what is important to them, changing jobs, growing closer to family members and exploring new opportunities and possibilities. PTG has been a growing area of research over the past decade and a half and there are a number of studies which now question its validity as a construct. The work of the Psychosocial Working Group (PWG) suggests that resilience is the extent to which communities demonstrate their ability to 'draw on their own resources' and 'meet their own needs' following complex emergencies such as terrorist attacks.
