7. trauma Flashcards
trauma criterion a
(1ST RESPONDERS) exposed to ACTUAL or THREATENED death, injury, sexual violence:
- directly
- witness
- occur to close family member
EG: police officer, journalists
does not apply if trauma is exposed through MEDIA
trauma criterion b
intrusions:
- recurrent
- distressing dream
- flashbacks
- high arousal to trigger cues
trauma criterion c
persistent EFFORTFUL avoidance
- avoid distressing memories
- avoid external reminders
trauma criterion d
negative alterations in cognition
- memory: unable to remember
- exaggerated negative beliefs “the world is a dangerous place”
- blame oneself. guilt
- diminished interest
- detachment
- unable to experience positive emotions
trauma criterion e
alterations in arousal and reactivity
- irritable
- hyper-vigilance (i must proteck myself/loved ones)
- self destructive behaviour
dsm 5 PTSD
- more than 1mo duration of critera B,C,D,E
- dysfunction
2 specifiers of PTSD
- dissociative symptoms: being outside of one’s body. can’t engage in life, looking at life through a glass
- delayed expression: full criteria not met after 6mo post event
PTSD and variation in presentation
highly variety of posittypes of presentation of PTSD
+ ve: encapsulate experiences of alot of people
-ve: a lot of variety and heterogeneity amongst people diagnosed with PTSD (qn is: are they actually experiencing the same thing?) hence impact on treatment. eg: person 1 has sleep disturbances, but person 626120th doesnt.
acute stress disorder (ASD)
- exposure to criterion a
- criterion b for 3days - 1mo
issue: trajectories following trauma suggests that ASD is just a pathway to development of full PTSD. so no point of single-ing out ASD.
traumatic experiences epidemiology
- male experience more traumatic experience than female
- BUT more female develop PTSD
- most common traumatic event: witnessing
- male: most common –> physical attack, kidnapping
- female: most common –> rape, sexual abuse
– YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP PTSD IF THE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE INVOLVES OTHER PEOPLE (as compared to natural disaster)
PTSD risk factors (pre trauma)
f > m personality: high neuroticism age: young lower IQ unstable family (childhood) --> modifiable
(MOST PRETRAUMA FACTORS ARE NOT MODIFIABLE)
PTSD risk factors (trauma related)
- trauma is interpersonal (involves people)
- perceived degree of life threat (how much one thinks their life is at risk)
- predictability and controllability of event (higher unpredictability then higher risk of PTSD)
- duration and frequency (multiple & repeated then higher risk)
PTSD risk factors (peri trauma)
(trauma at the time of event)
dissociation –> “observing from a glass”
PTSD Psychological processes: memory
- vivid recall BUT vague fragmented flashbacks
- highly disturbing
- working memory being impacted, lower levels of working memory capacity –> explains why lower IQ is a risk factor
PTSD Psychological processes
- memory
- dissociation
- cognitive affective: fear
- cognitive appraisal (personal interpretation of situations - perceived as stressful) and emotion: shame, safety, guilt
- beliefs: negative beliefs about self, world, loss of trust, loss of believe in good of others
