‘Find a sport and carry on’: Posttraumatic growth and achievement in British Paralympic athletes Hanna Kampman (MSc.) & Dr. Kate Hefferon (PhD.) Method Three self-selected athletes (2 females, 1 male) from one of the Great Britain’s Paralympic teams were interviewed using semi-structured techniques. The interviews were recorded and the data was transcribed. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Inclusion criteria stipulate that the athletes had experienced previous trauma with severe physical injury or illness after birth and participated in the 2012 Paralympics in London. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was chosen to analyse the data, as its in-depth exploratory nature enables to study meaning in individual’s experience, particularly meaning of injury (or illness) in one’s life (Reid, Flowers, & Larkin, 2005;Smith, Larkin, & Flowers, 2009). Results The study identified that sport was a fundamental route to experiencing posttraumatic growth (PTG) (Table 1.). It was the platform of recovery, camaraderie, achievements and the true base for a new identity as an athlete. Furthermore, the team was seen as a resource, creating a safe environment in which to learn new skills, sare practical ideas and promote a sense of equality. Additionally the role of the body in facilitating PTG was central to these individuals’ experiences. The body was a source of psychological well- being, being the foundation of achievements and new identity as an athlete. The body was an important route to appreciating life more and giving a sense of personal strength. Introduction Research on acquired disability has traditionally taken a pathological approach to examining the way it affects individuals (Elliott & Kennedy, 2004; Lucas, 2007a, 2007b). Depression has been the most examined psychological state in people with acquired disability (Elliott & Umlauf, 1995). In more recent years, the focus has started to shift to understanding the positive psychological aspects that can occur as a result of dealing with the acquired disability. However, this research is still in its infancy, therefore more understanding is needed of the different factors facilitating the positive outcomes that can follow as a result of the acquired disability. As this phenomenon is insufficiently studied in this context, a qualitative approach is vital to provide in-depth data of the participants’ experience to produce further understanding of this phenomenon at the individual level. This study provides an in-depth account of the experience of posttraumatic growth in Paralympic athletes, as well as how acquired disability led to engagement and training in sports and eventually to participation in the London 2012 Paralympics. Discussion and Conclusion The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth account of the experience of posttraumatic growth in Paralympic athletes. Due to the small sample size and the nature of the research method, no generalisation can be made on the basis of this study. However, this study provides several key concepts that should be acknowledged and examined further. The study exhibited a strong relationship between sports and the experience of PTG. The research in this area should further investigate the possibilities of sports as a facilitator of PTG. It is important to remember that not everybody can, or should be expected to participate in sports at this level after their trauma. However, the possibilities of amateur sports are endless, and many of the key elements facilitating growth are repeatable, such as belonging to a team, learning new skills and doing it in a safe environment and experiencing achievements in sports. Physical activity has already been studied as a facilitator of PTG (Hefferon et al., 2008). This study proposes that sports have elements beyond physical activity, which could greatly support the development of positive psychological outcomes. Furthermore the role of the body in facilitating PTG and the role of the sport facilitating Corporeal PTG (Hefferon, 2012, 2013) should be examined further. References Elliott, T. R., & Kennedy, P. (2004). Treatment of Depression Following Spinal Cord Injury: An Evidence-Based Review. Rehabilitation Psychology, 49(2), doi: / Elliott, T. R., & Umlauf, R. L. (1995). Measurement of personality and psychopathology following acquired physical disability. Hefferon, K. (2012). Bringing Back the Body into Positive Psychology: The Theory of Corporeal Posttraumatic Growth in Breast Cancer Survivorship. Psychology, 3(12A), Hefferon, K. (2013). Positive Psychology and the Body: The Somato-psychic Side to Flourishing: McGraw-Hill Education. Hefferon, K., Grealy, M., & Mutrie, N. (2008). The perceived influence of an exercise class intervention on the process and outcomes of post-traumatic growth. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 1(1), doi: /j.mhpa Lucas, R. E. (2007a). Adaptation and the Set-Point Model of Subjective Well-Being. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(2), doi: /j x Lucas, R. E. (2007b). Long-term disability is associated with lasting changes in subjective well-being: Evidence from two nationally representative longitudinal studies. J Pers Soc Psychol, 92(4), doi: / Reid, K., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2005). Exploring lived experience. Psychologist, 18(1), Smith, J., Larkin, M., & Flowers, P. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis : theory, method and research. Los Angeles ; London: SAGE. Table 1. Master themes and subordinate themes