Conflict regulation after trauma: how social support facilitates posttraumatic growth via resilience and deliberate rumination

Purpose This study aimed to identify the psychological mechanisms that influence posttraumatic growth (PTG) by testing a sequential mediation model in which social support leads to PTG through resilience and deliberate rumination. Design/methodology/approach A self-report survey was conducted with 350 Korean adults, and data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and bootstrapping to examine path coefficients and indirect effects. Findings The results revealed that social support had a significant direct effect on PTG, and the sequential indirect effect through both resilience and deliberate rumination was also statistically significant. In the single mediation analyses, resilience emerged as a significant mediator, while deliberate rumination alone did not show a significant mediating effect. These findings suggest that social support enhances resilience, which in turn facilitates intentional sense-making and meaning reconstruction of traumatic experiences, ultimately leading to PTG. Originality/value This study contributes to a theoretical integration of the psychological pathways to PTG and provides strategic implications for interventions aimed at enhancing social support. Moreover, it adds to the conflict management literature by highlighting how individuals navigate intrapersonal struggles through interpersonal resources, offering culturally nuanced insight into posttrauma adaptation.