Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01375:reg:7:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01375
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 7 (pt 1/3)
Character Range: 1731–5203

7               Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates
(1)          This Statement of Principles is about posttraumatic stress disorder and death from posttraumatic stress disorder.
Meaning of posttraumatic stress disorder
(2)          For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, posttraumatic stress disorder means a disorder of mental health which meets the following criteria (derived from DSM-5-TR):
               1. Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one (or more) of the following ways:
                 (i)           directly experiencing the traumatic event(s);
                 (ii)         witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others;
                 (iii)      learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or accidental; or
                 (iv)       experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (for example, first responders collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse).  This criterion does not apply to exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless this exposure is work related; and
              B.                  Presence of one (or more) of the following intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s) occurred:
                 (i)            recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event(s).  In children older than six years, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the traumatic event(s) are expressed;
                 (ii)         recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/or affect of the dream are related to the traumatic event(s).  In children, there may be frightening dreams without recognisable content;
                 (iii)       dissociative reactions (for example, flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event(s) were recurring. (Such reactions may occur on a continuum, with the most extreme expression being a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings.)  In children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur in play;
                 (iv)        intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolise or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s); or
                 (v)          marked physiological reactions to internal or external cues that symbolise or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s); and
              C.                  Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by one or both of the following:
                 (i)            avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s); or
                 (ii)         avoidance of or efforts to avoid external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations) that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s); and
              D.                 Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event(s),