Individual differences in response to trauma are influenced by a variety of factors. Two very important factors that contribute towards one’s susceptibility to develop PTSD are personality and coping factors (Paris, 2000). These factors – as predispositions – can be best understood by combining them with a cognitive processing model (Paris, 2000). This model suggests that one cannot understand the impact of life events without understanding how one processes such events i.e. their cognitive schemas (Paris, 2000). Coping and personality factors can pose as a means to explain why some individuals experience traumatic events and life stressors more intensely than others. Personality definitions have been of much debate over the years; however
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Barrick and Mount (1991) further explain the remaining factors and their associative traits: openness to experience is associated with being curious, imaginative and intelligent; agreeableness is mostly associated with being cooperative, forgiving and easy going; conscientiousness has been commonly associated with organised, planful and achievement-oriented traits. The FFM allows for a framework of personality that is unified and solid (Vollrath, 2001). Furthermore this framework has shown to be consistent across different theoretical frameworks and assessments, thus strengthening the theory as a model (McCrae & Costa, 1987). The Big Five factors can be associated with both negative and positive outcomes of stressful events (Vollrath, 2001). Carver and Connor- Smith (2007) explain that the trait neuroticism leads to negative outcomes of events as this is associated with worry, anxiety and other negative emotions that may affect one’s emotional stability. In contrast, extraversion and conscientiousness are considered to be more positive, optimistic and resourceful traits, as these aspects have been understood to reduce the negative outcomes of stressful events (Carver & Connor-Smith, 2007). Digman and Takemoto-Chok (1981) explain that although conscientiousness has been associated with positive outcomes of events it has been the most difficult factor to
Barrick and Mount (1991) further explain the remaining factors and their associative traits: openness to experience is associated with being curious, imaginative and intelligent; agreeableness is mostly associated with being cooperative, forgiving and easy going; conscientiousness has been commonly associated with organised, planful and achievement-oriented traits. The FFM allows for a framework of personality that is unified and solid (Vollrath, 2001). Furthermore this framework has shown to be consistent across different theoretical frameworks and assessments, thus strengthening the theory as a model (McCrae & Costa, 1987). The Big Five factors can be associated with both negative and positive outcomes of stressful events (Vollrath, 2001). Carver and Connor- Smith (2007) explain that the trait neuroticism leads to negative outcomes of events as this is associated with worry, anxiety and other negative emotions that may affect one’s emotional stability. In contrast, extraversion and conscientiousness are considered to be more positive, optimistic and resourceful traits, as these aspects have been understood to reduce the negative outcomes of stressful events (Carver & Connor-Smith, 2007). Digman and Takemoto-Chok (1981) explain that although conscientiousness has been associated with positive outcomes of events it has been the most difficult factor to