Predictors of Post-traumatic Growth in Patients With Myocardial Infarction

Background: Some people experience positive psychological changes in various aspects after a stressful event. These positive changes, known as Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), are often due to people’s need to adapt to the challenges ahead. Objective: This study aims to determine the predictors of PTG in patients with myocardial infarction. Methods: This is a descriptive-correlational study. Participants were 191 patients with myocardial infarction referred to the cardiac clinic of Bu-Ali Sina Hospital in Qazvin, Iran. They were selected using a convenience sampling method and based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. The research instruments were the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS), and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). Collected data were analyzed in SPSS V. 25 software using Pearson correlation test and linear regression analysis. Findings: There was a significant positive relationship between PTG with perceived social support (r=0.47 and P<0.001) and meaning in life (r=0.71 and P<0.001). Based on the results of linear regression analysis, an increase in the scores of MSPSS and MLQ can increase the PTGI score by 0.978 and 1.376, respectively. Conclusion: This study provided important insights into the phenomenon of PTG in patients with myocardial infarction and its predictors, which can help improve PTG in them.