Question

Discuss risk factors and protective factors regarding the development of PTSD. Identify specific traumas that can trigger PTSD that are unique to childhood.

Answer 1

• Some people who are exposed to a traumatic event will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while others will not. Its occurrence depends on a complex interplay between risk factors that increase the likelihood of onset and protective factors that diminish it. Other variables influence the development of PTSD, including factors that preceded the exposure to trauma, factors associated with the trauma exposure itself, and factors associated with the recovery environment.
• For a military population, one of the most important risk factors for the onset of PTSD is exposure to combat. Features of combat, such as its intensity, whether an injury was sustained, or whether torture or captivity occurred, are related to the severity of exposures that by definition qualify within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) criteria as traumatic. Other risk factors that might be involved with the development of PTSD are, for example, military sexual assault, homecoming environment, sex, and ethnicity
  
• Personality traits have also been shown to play a part in the development of PTSD. People who have an optimistic outlook on life -- a belief that there's order to the universe, and that other people are generally good -- have less of a chance of developing PTSD after suffering a trauma.
• A protective factor refers to anything that prevents or reduces vulnerability for the development of a disorder. Common protective factors include the availability of social support and the use of healthy coping strategies in response to stress.
• These factors are:
• The ability to cope with stress effectively and in a healthy manner (not avoiding)
• Being resourceful and having good problem-solving skills
• Being more likely to seek help
• Holding the belief that there is something you can do to manage your feelings and cope.
• Having social support available to you
• The following are some examples of events where there is a threat of injury or death that may cause PTSD if experienced or witnessed as a child or adolescent:
• Serious accidents (such as car or train wrecks)
• Invasive medical procedures for young children (under the age of 6)
• Animal bites (such as dog bites)
• Natural disasters (such as floods or earthquakes)
• Man-made tragedies (such as bombings)
• Violent personal attacks (such as a mugging, rape, torture, being held captive, or kidnapping)
• Physical abuse
• Sexual assault
• Sexual molestation
• Emotional abuse, bullying
• Neglect