ABSTRACT
Traumatic situations—and other stress components such as stress responses, defenses, and memories—often have different subgoals, organizations, and activities at individual, family, community, and national levels. The parameters or context of traumatic stress includes the nature of the traumatic situation, disaster phases, social system levels, and developmental phases of the victims. If the process axis is the length axis of traumatic stress, the parameters axis is its breadth. In summary, components of the parameters axis contextualize traumatic stress manifestations. Grids of parameter components may be used for fuller descriptions or research purposes. The nature of the traumatic situation is usually the first parameter used to designate traumatic stresses. In conclusion, points in the life cycle influence biological, psychological, and social fulfillments and traumas. Such influence then ramifies into later phases and function levels. Phases describe the “when” in the process of traumatic events.
