Introduction

The understanding of trauma is different in various publications and has changed over the years. It is worth knowing that “trauma” can be related to both the traumatic event itself and the reaction to such an event. Teenagers, like adults, are vulnerable to traumatic experiences. Exposure to trauma can have negative consequences, but it can also be a source of positive changes. Among the negative consequences of trauma, the most frequently mentioned in the literature is posttraumatic stress disorder, while among the positive ones is posttraumatic growth.

Aim of the research

The aim of the study was to determine which coping strategies play the role of predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) assessed at two time points (the second measurement after 6 months).

Material and methods

The analysis included results from 242 subjects aged 12–17 years (M = 14.65; SD = 1.28): 119 (49.2%) boys and 123 (50.8%) girls. The study used the Impact of Events Scale for Children and Adolescents – CRIES-13, the Personal Growth Questionnaire – PGQ-27, and the Coping Responses Inventory-Youth – CRI-48.

Results and conclusions

The strongest predictor for PTSD 1 and 2 is emotional discharge, and for PTG 1 logical analysis, and for PTG 2 emotional discharge. The obtained results indicate that both approach and avoidance strategies play an important role in the occurrence of negative and positive consequences of trauma exposure.