General public definition
- Potentially psychologically traumatic event (PPTE), psychologically traumatic event, potentially psychologically traumatic stressor, psychologically traumatic stressor (PTS), traumatic event, and traumatic stressor are currently not listed as diagnoses in the DSM-5-TR or ICD-11.
- A psychologically traumatic event (PTE) is a stressful event that has caused psychological trauma that may be consistent with one or more posttraumatic mental health conditions (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], or panic disorder).
- The term potentially psychologically traumatic event (PPTE) describes events that have the potential to cause PTSD and other trauma-related mental health conditions. This term is more precise than terms like critical incident.
- Psychological trauma does not require a physical injury to be harmful.
- Typical examples of potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTE) include:
- adverse childhood experiences
- motor vehicle accidents
- sexual assault and other types of violence
- unexpected violent or accidental death of a loved one or threatened death of a loved one, and
- threat of or actual severe physical injury, experiencing military combat, natural disasters, or exposure to human remains.
Academic definition
- Potentially psychologically traumatic event (PPTE), psychologically traumatic event, potentially psychologically traumatic stressor, psychologically traumatic stressor (PTS), traumatic event, and traumatic stressor are currently not listed as diagnoses in either the DSM-5-TR or ICD-11.
- A psychologically traumatic event (PTE) is a stressful event that involves actual, perceived, or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, and causes psychological trauma that may be consistent with one or more posttraumatic mental health conditions (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder).
- Psychological trauma differs from physical trauma in that psychological trauma never requires evidence of tissue damage or dysfunction.
- Exposure to one or more psychologically traumatic events (PTEs) is a criterion for a diagnosis of acute stress disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder in the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11.
- The term psychologically traumatic event is preceded by the word “potentially” (i.e. “potentially psychologically traumatic event” [PPTE]) because such exposures are idiosyncratic. The descriptor “potentially” is part of an effort to underscore the importance of dynamic individual and environmental contextual factors that influence whether an event is psychologically traumatic for any given individual at any given time.
- Exposure to a PPTE can be direct, witnessed, learned about having occurred to a close family member or close friend (in such cases the event must have been violent or accidental), or through repeated or extreme exposures to aversive details.
- A PPTE may involve moral elements that require special attention (e.g. potentially morally injurious events, which can cause harm without requiring actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence).
- Not everyone exposed to a PPTE develops a posttraumatic stress injury or posttraumatic stress disorder. Pre-existing factors and concurrent or post-PPTE mental and physical injuries can affect whether a posttraumatic stress injury occurs. Examples include a prior history of traumatic event exposure, perceived helplessness during the PPTE, and perceived presence or absence of social support during and post-PPTE.
- Contemporary colloquial mental health language may use stressor, traumatic stressor, or trauma interchangeably with PPTE.
- A PPTE describes events that have the specific potential to cause posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related mental health conditions, and is more precise than terms like critical incident.
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