What characterizes Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders?

Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders are defined by the presence of significant distress or impairment in functioning that occurs in response to a traumatic or stressful event. Such disorders are marked by symptoms that may include re-experiencing the event, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, negative changes in mood and cognition, and heightened arousal symptoms. The emphasis is on the significant distress that persists after an individual has been exposed to a traumatic event. This distress can manifest through various symptoms that affect an individual’s emotional and psychological functioning, making prolonged distress a key characteristic of these disorders.

The other choices, while they touch on various aspects of mental health, do not accurately capture the essence of Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders. The absence of compulsive behaviors, compulsions related to trauma events, and increased obsessive behaviors are characteristics more aligned with other anxiety-related or obsessive-compulsive disorders, rather than being defining features of Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders specifically. Thus, the recognition and emphasis on prolonged distress in response to stressful or traumatic experiences truly exemplify the core attributes of this category of disorders.