The Relationship between Traumatic Experience, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth among Adolescents in

Exposure to trauma, is an overwhelming experience for those who witnessed or affected by trauma and can have severe and chronic psychological consequences. Trauma is a psychologically distressing event outside the range of usual human experience, often involves a sense of fear, terror and helplessness [1]. Trauma refers to how individuals emotionally react to terrible events, such as the sudden loss of loved one, natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes), serious accidents (e.g., car crashes), physical or sexual assault (e.g., being battered or raped), domestic violence, wars, or political violence [2]. Psychological reactions to physical threat and environmental instability include fear, anger, helplessness, isolation, irritability, nervousness, and confusion [3]. In addition, children and adolescents exposed to high levels of conflict and violence may be especially likely to develop diagnosable mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. The diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) requires exposure to an event (Criterion A) during which the individual experienced severe horror, fear, or helplessness. This is followed by a cluster of re experiencing, avoidance, and arousal