Impact of trauma

Abstract Trauma and its impact are understood to be incredibly diverse in nature. Supported by an accumulation of research over the past two centuries, it is now recognized that certain psychologically and physically threatening experiences can have especially impairing consequences. Interpersonal trauma, particularly arising in childhood, can contribute to a plethora of detrimental outcomes extending throughout life. These can affect psychological and physical well-being and reduce longevity, with significant implications for wider society. Consequently, childhood trauma has been identified as a global health concern. Trauma-related psychopathology, including symptoms characteristic of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as nightmares and flashbacks, are perhaps most widely recognized with regard to the impact of trauma. Acknowledgement of the relationship between trauma and the range of diverse outcomes that can follow, which include, but are not limited to, PTSD, is required in order to address holistically the complex needs of traumatized individuals.