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Subject PSYCHOLOGY

Paper No and Title Paper no.9: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Module No and Title Module no.32: BENEFIT FINDING AND BENEFIT

REMINDING
Module Tag PSY_P9_M32

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Learning Outcomes
2. Introduction
3. Longitudinal Studies
3.1 Victims of fire
3.2 Bereaved Individuals
3.3 Mothers of Acutely ill newborns
3.4 Men who experienced a first heart attack
3.5 Disaster Victims
3.6 Bereaved HIV-Seropositive men
3.7 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients
4. Assumptions

PSYCHOLOGY PAPER No.9: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

MODULE No.32: BENEFIT FINDING AND BENEFIT
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5. Testable Alternatives
5.1 Benefit-finding as a Personality
Characteristic

5.2 Benefit-finding as a Reflection of growth

5.3 Benefit-Finding as an Explanation of One’s Temperament
5.4 Perceived Benefits and Implicit Theories of Consistency and
5.5 Change benefit finding as a temporal comparison
6. Using positive affirmations
7. Summary

PSYCHOLOGY PAPER No.9: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

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1. Learning Outcomes
After studying this module, you shall be able to

 Know about benefit-finding and benefit reminding

 Learn that there can be benefits from crisis
 Identify the individual differences in benefit finding and
 Evaluate various longitudinal studies in this area

2. Introduction
Many studies have discovered the benefits that occur from living with adversity. This is evident in some
theories of cognitive adaptation to threat which also outline the importance of personality differences.
There is an adaptive significance of finding benefits from adverse events. Benefit-finding is also
mentioned in stress and coping theories. It is also shaped by psychological dispositions and personality
traits. Beliefs about benefits from adversity (benefit-finding) and the use of such knowledge as a
deliberate strategy of coping with the problem (benefit-reminding) have become important areas of
research. Their importance is illustrated by the research on coping with chronic pain.

Theorists like Tedeschi and Calhoun (2004) understand benefit finding as a meaning making process in
adapting to negative life events. They have discussed benefit finding in the context of posttraumatic
growth. Gillies and Neimeyer (2006) look at benefit finding as one of three meaning reconstruction
processes in response to significant loss, and, Park and Folkman (1997) conceptualize benefit finding as a
cognitive reappraisal coping strategy.

Individuals facing adversity have often been found to report benefits in their negative experiences.
Benefit-finding plays a prominent role in theories of cognitive adaptation to threatening circumstances
and is related to psychological and physical health, posttraumatic growth, and psychological thriving.
Snyder and McCullough (2000) refer to benefit-finding as a human strength.

3. Longitudinal studies
There are some longitudinal studies based on benefit-finding and benefit reminding which are as follows:

3.1 Victims of Fire

In the first published longitudinal study of finding benefits in adversity, Thompson (1985) surveyed
individuals whose apartments had been partially or completely destroyed by fire. This study provided the
first evidence that benefit-finding might predict later mood, pleasure in daily activities, and psychological
symptoms. Two thirds of the sample reported finding some benefit in the experience, mostly citing the
helpfulness of others and important life lessons learnt. It was found that the composite indicator of
cognitive adaptation 1 to 2 weeks after the fire predicted well-being a year later.

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3.2 Bereaved Individuals

In a prospective study, Davis, Nolen-Hoeksema, and Larson (1998) studied individuals whose parent,
spouse, partner, child, or sibling was in hospital care. Seventy-three percent reported that they had found
something positive in the experience, including personal growth, a new perspective on life, and
strengthening family bonds.

3.3 Mothers of Acutely ill Newborns

Affleck, Tennen, and Rowe (1991) studied mothers whose infants were in a neonatal intensive care unit
(NICU). They asked the participants whether they had found any benefits from this experience. Seventy-
five percent of them reported at least one benefit such as improved relationships with family and friends,
and the fact that their child was now even more precious to them. The mothers who reported benefits also
reported brighter mood and less distress 6 and 18 months later.

3.4 Men Who Experienced a First Heart Attack

A long-term study of men who survived a first heart attack was carried out (Affleck, Tennen, Croog, &
Leevine 1987). Seven weeks after their initial heart attack 58% of these men reported benefits, such as
positive changes in their values and life philosophies. It was found that those who cited benefits were in
better cardiac health and were less likely to have suffered another attack.

3.5 Disaster Victims

McMillen, Smith, and Fisher (1997) carried out a longitudinal study of people who had experienced one
of three disasters: a severe tornado; a plane crashing into a hotel lobby, or a mass shooting.

Participants who reported benefits soon after experiencing one of these adverse events were less likely to
undergo extreme distress (PTSD) 3 years later. Participants who perceived some benefit had the greatest
recovery, whereas who did not perceive benefit had the least recovery.

3.6 Bereaved HIV – Seropositive Men

In a recent study of AIDS-related mortality among bereaved HIV-Seropositive men, Bower et al. (1998)
examined both physiological and behavioral mediators. They found a somewhat lower incidence of
benefit-finding (40%) than was reported in other studies of benefit-finding like greater appreciation for
loved ones, a perception of life as precious, increased self-understanding, and enhanced interpersonal
functioning.

Benefit-finding was found to be associated with a lower rate of AIDS-related mortality over the next 4 to
9 years.

3.7 Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Tenne, Affleck, Urrows, Higgins & Mendola (1992) assessed benefit-finding among rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) patients. They found that perceived benefits moderated the relationship between pain severity and
activity limitations.

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In a study of women with fibromyalgia (Affleck and Tennen,

1996; Tenne & Affleck, 1999), researchers examined the deliberate use of benefit cognitions daily, which
they called benefit-reminding. They used a self-monitoring methodology to determine how benefit-
reminding takes place day to day. This methodology involved combination of a nightly structured diary
with a computer-assisted real-time assessment of pain intensity and mood several times each day. The
average respondent reported benefit-reminding on 24 of the 30 study days, although 33 of our 89
participants never reminded themselves of benefits. It was discovered that on days which involved more
benefit-reminding did not differ in pain intensity, but witnessed improved mood, increased levels of
pleasant, aroused, and aroused-pleasant mood, emotional symptom reduction, fewer psychiatric
syndromes, a reduced risk for adverse medical outcomes, and decreased mortality.

Benefit-finding appears to be common among individuals facing a range of threatening events like cancer
(shown in the image below), and it predicts emotional and physical adaptation months or years later.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

4. Assumptions
The original assumption among theorists was that victims’ reports of benefits were a form of denial or a
maladaptive reality distortion. This assumption has been supplanted in current theoretical formulations by
three other assumptions reflecting the view that benefit-finding (a) is a selective appraisal (b) is a coping
strategy, and (c) emerges only later in the process of adjusting to adversity.

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Benefit finding

A Selective A Coping Emerges later in

Evaluation Strategy adjustment
process

4.1 Benefit-Finding as a Selective Evaluation

According to Taylor et al., “Selective evaluation process minimizes victimization by focusing on

beneficial qualities of the situation”. Other selective evaluations include finding a sense of order and
purpose in the threatening experience, imagining “worse worlds, and making comparisons with less
fortunate others. These appraisals help individuals in restoring valued assumptions and beliefs about
themselves as being relatively invulnerable and the world as predictable, and meaningful.

4.2 Benefit-Finding as a Coping Strategy

Searching for evidence of benefits and taking the time to remind oneself of these perceived benefits is
coping. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) included perceived benefits as an indicator of emotion-focused
coping. They developed The Ways of Coping Scale (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988). There is confusion
between benefit-finding as a coping strategy and benefit-finding as a conclusion.

4.3 Benefit-Finding Emerges Later in the Adjustment Process

The distinction between “sense-making” (i.e. making sense of adversity within one’s existing worldview)
and benefit-finding assumes that benefit-finding emerges relatively late in the process of adapting to
adversity. It has been argued that if sense-making is going to emerge from a negative event, it should do
so within several months of the event (Wortman, Silver, & Kessler, 1993), and that individuals who adapt
successfully to a threatening event first make sense of the event and only later find benefit from the
experience (Janoff-Bulman & Frantz, 1997). Park (1998) suggested that over time individuals come to
alter the perceived value of a traumatic experience. Tedeschi and Calhoun (1995) state that benefits such
as a sense of personal strength and perceived growth emerge rather late in the process of adapting to
adversity.

There is little empirical support for the three major assumptions guiding current theory and research on
benefit-finding in the aftermath of a negative life event. Although finding benefits may for some

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individuals reflect a selective evaluation, there is no evidence

that participants in the studies were making selective
evaluations. Similarly, while benefit-finding can be a coping strategy, rarely has it been measured in a
way that would warrant such an inference. Finally, the assumption that benefit-finding emerges relatively
late in the process of adapting to a major loss or threatening event is supported neither in cross-sectional
nor in longitudinal studies. Rather, benefits appear to be found within weeks of the event and retained for
many years. Moreover, in the longitudinal studies presented earlier, there is no strong support for the
assumption that benefit-finding emerges later in the adjustment process. Thompson (1985) found that
victims of a fire showed no change in their perception of benefits over the course of a year.

5. Testable alternatives

5.1 Benefit-Finding as a Personality Characteristic

Negative life events provide individuals an opportunity to recreate their life narratives in terms of a life
story with meaning. Some individuals provide narratives in which misfortune contains a positive aspect.
Such people also describe events in which adversity leads to some personal benefit.

5.2 Benefit-Finding as a Reflection of Growth

Emerging literature on posttraumatic growth and thriving looks at benefits not as a cognitive construction
which protects threatened assumptions but as an indicator of genuine positive change.

Actress and model Lisa Ray often mentions how she found benefit and personal growth in her fight against
cancer.

5.3 Benefit-Finding as an Explanation of One’s Temperament

Extroverts who feel relatively happy regardless of their circumstances may find themselves feeling happy
despite a recent life crisis. They are more likely to offer appreciation of the little things in life and sense
of gratitude. In doing so, they provide a satisfying explanation for their temperament.

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5.4 Perceived Benefits and Implicit Theories of

Consistency and Change

An individual who is facing adversity, in order to determine that her self-concept, relationships with
others, or life priorities have changed in a positive way, must compare his/her current standing on these
dimensions with his/her former self. According to the implicit theories model, an individual who has
actually declined in a particular life domain following a threatening event is unlikely to report benefits in
that domain. Thus, people who have had notable declines in their self concepts, relationships with social
networks, and life priorities (the three most consistently reported domains in which benefits have been
reported (Updegraff & Taylor, 2000) are most likely to report high levels of negative affect, than their
counterparts.

Ross (1989) asserts that the recollecting personal attributes at a previous time involves two steps. First the
individual notes his/her present status on the attribute and then uses an implicit theory of stability or
change to guide a construction of the past. Ross (1989) found that people’s theories may lead them to
experience more change than has actually occurred.

Not everyone who experiences adversity cities benefits. The implicit theories approach acknowledges
individual differences in the perception of positive change and Ross (1989) offers several situational
factors that should produce a negative bias in the recollection of one’s personal history, and thus the
perception that the present is more positive than the past.

5.5 Benefit-Finding as a Temporal Comparison

As Klauer, Ferring and Filipp (1998) note a central tenet of temporal comparison theory (TCT Albert,
1977) posits that although individuals are inclined to evaluate the self as stable, when efforts to reduce
negative discrepancies between the past and the present are unsuccessful, they construct positive changes.
King and Minner (2000) found that compared with control subjects, college students who wrote about the
benefit they experienced from a negative life event had fewer health center visits over the next 5 months.
Similarly, Stanton et al. (2000) reported that women who wrote about positive thoughts and feelings
regarding their ongoing experience with breast cancer had fewer medical appointments for cancer-related
issues than did women in a control group.

Benefit finding has also been related to optimism following bereavement (Davis et al., 1998) and also to
religiousness (Park et al., 1996). Links have also been found between benefit finding for acceptance,
religious coping, and positive reframing after diverse stressors (Park et al., 1996).

Helgeson et al. (2004) found that benefit-finding is related to many personal resources such as good body
image, self-esteem, personal control, and low illness uncertainty.

Reported benefits fall within three categories: perceptions of the self as stronger, closer relationships, and
greater clarity regarding what is really important in life.

The link between benefit finding and physical health can be found through changes in appraisal processes,
coping strategies and resources, interpersonal relationships, and goals and priorities. Positive affect may
also provide a psychological link benefit finding and health.

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6. Using Positive Affirmations

One can also find benefit in adverse circumstances through the use of Positive Affirmations. They are
usually short positive statements which target a specific subconscious set of beliefs. They
challenge negative beliefs and replace them with positive beliefs.

7. Summary
 Beliefs about benefits from adversity (benefit-finding) and the use of such knowledge as a
deliberate strategy of coping with the problem (benefit-reminding) have become important areas
of research.
 There are some longitudinal studies based on benefit-finding and benefit reminding on victims of
fire, bereaved individuals, mothers of acutely ill newborns, men who experienced a first heart
attack, disaster victims, bereaved HIV-Seropositive men, rheumatoid arthritis patients etc.
 Three assumptions are made reflecting the view that benefit-finding (a) is a selective appraisal
(b) is a coping strategy, and (c) emerges only later in the process of adjusting to adversity.
 Some of the testable alternatives regarding benefit-finding and benefit reminding are: Benefit-
Finding as a Personality Characteristic, Benefit-Finding as a Reflection of Growth, Benefit-
Finding as an Explanation of One’s Temperament, Perceived Benefits and Implicit Theories of
Consistency and Change, Benefit-Finding as a Temporal Comparison.

PSYCHOLOGY PAPER No.9: POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

MODULE No.32: BENEFIT FINDING AND BENEFIT
REMINDING