P. CASTROGIOVANNI, S. TRAVERSO - Vol. 9, September 2003, Issue 2
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Indice
Per una definizione della traumaticità
dell’evento
For a definition of the traumatic potential of the event
The present study investigates the concept of "traumatic event" in order to throughly investigate its meaning and the potential development, in reaction to it, of psychopathological features or specific clinical disorders, particularly PostTraumatic Stress Disorder.
Although the event severity is a characteristic of primary importance, its traumatic potential is greatly influenced by individual and subjective aspects; hence, the importance of the evaluation of the traumatic potentiality of the event and of the modality in which the event itself occurred. Within this perspective, two foundamental aspects are to be considered: on one hand the impact of the event on the individual, and on the other hand the preparation of his/her mind. The psychopathological consequences of trauma would primarily derive from the characteristics of the event per se and, only secondarily, by individual predisposition.
In conclusion, the more "traumatic" characteristics of the event, the more its effects are independent from the individual and its etiopathogenetic mechanism will be psychobiological in nature.