Can Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder be Diagnosed in Adolescence without a Catastrophic Stressor? A Case Report

Abstract

This article describes an adolescent girl who, having experienced repeated emotional bullying at school, developed a psychological disorder. The case is discussed in relation to current views on traumatic events and subsequent disorders. It is suggested that the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder may need to be modified to include cases where the precipitating event is less than catastrophic.