PSY240H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Acute Stress Reaction, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Autobiographical Memory

• School: UTSG
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY240H1
• Professor: Rachel Leung

Document Summary

Trauma: experiences or situations that are extremely emotionally painful and distressing and that overwhelm a person"s ability to cope, leaving them feeling powerless. A lot of people that they are extreme circumstances terrorism, war, car accidents. Can occur frequently and become a part of the common human experience marginalized groups who are more likely to have violence and chaos and abuse. Children with emotional problems or diagnoses mental disorders by age 6 are at greater risk of developing ptsd later in life. Low ses, low education, prior exposure to trauma (during childhood), childhood adversity, lower intelligence, minority racial/ethnic status and family psychiatric history all increase risk. Trauma tends to have most significant impacts when it is: interpersonal, repeated, unpredictable, multifaceted, sadistic, experienced in hood, by a caregiver. Dose response relationship of the severity of trauma to the likelihood of developing. Dissociation during trauma, perceived threat to life and personal injury are risk factors s.