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Beyond Trauma pp 31–54Cite as

The Severity of the Trauma

Issues about Its Role in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

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Part of the book series: The Plenum Series on Stress and Coping ((SSSO))

Abstract

Constructing an objective picture of the impact of a traumatic event and its effects is a complex task. It is a central issue in traumatic stress studies because the cornerstone of posttraumatic stress disorder is the accepted role of the stressor as the primary etiological factor determining the typical pattern of symptoms. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is unusual in psychiatric classification because it is one of the few disorders where a clearly defined cause is stated in the diagnostic criteria (DSMIII, American Psychiatric Association, 1987).

History is always an ambiguous affair. Facts are hard to establish, and capable of being given many meanings. Reality is built on our own prejudices, gullibility, and ignorance, as well as on knowledge and analysis.

Salman Rushdie

“‘Errata’: Unreliable Narration Midnight’s Children”

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Glenside Hospital, Eastwood, South Australia, 5063, Australia

    Alexander C. McFarlane

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  1. Alexander C. McFarlane
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Utrecht University and Institute for Psychotrauma, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Rolf J. Kleber

  2. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA

    Charles R. Figley

  3. Academic Medical Center and University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Berthold P. R. Gersons

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© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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McFarlane, A.C. (1995). The Severity of the Trauma. In: Kleber, R.J., Figley, C.R., Gersons, B.P.R. (eds) Beyond Trauma. The Plenum Series on Stress and Coping. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9421-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9421-2_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9423-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9421-2

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