ABSTRACT
J. P. Wilson described the historical development of the concept of traumatic stress, in particular the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder, from Freud to the criteria specified in the revised third and fourth editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychological Association. From a lay perspective the impression of severe psychological distress among many individuals was witnessed during the public mourning following the death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. The Impact of Events Scale (IES) was designed to assess the impact of any specific traumatic event. M. Shevlin et al. administered the IES to a random sample of 205 respondents three weeks after the death of Princess Diana. Overall, the results show a high level of psychological distress as measured by the IES. Work on the psychological impact of the death of public figures may also benefit from the consideration of the impact of the 'death' of virtual characters on the psychological well-being of their fans.
