Fourth, another limitation is common to all studies using the PTSD Criterion A1 list of PTEs. This list of event types does not adequately capture the “dose” of the traumatic experience, the severity of the event, or the context in which the event was experienced.64 This makes it difficult to determine whether familial and sexual violence experiences are more strongly associated with deleterious outcomes because they are chronic experiences of trauma occurring within a child’s home, or because the events themselves are more “toxic”.59 Complementary research should continue to assess these more qualitative aspects of traumatic stress.
