Prevention Categorization for Trauma and Stress-Related Disorders
The correct answer is E. Population targeted, as prevention approaches for trauma and stress-related disorders are categorized based on whether interventions are delivered universally (to all exposed individuals) or in a targeted manner (to those at highest risk). 1
Evidence for Population-Based Categorization
The literature on trauma and stress-related disorder prevention explicitly discusses categorization based on targeted versus universal prevention approaches:
Targeted prevention identifies individuals at highest risk after trauma exposure (such as those with prior psychiatric history, lack of social support, or specific demographic vulnerabilities) and delivers interventions specifically to this subgroup 1
Universal prevention delivers interventions to all individuals exposed to a traumatic event, regardless of individual risk factors 1
Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates no significant difference in effectiveness between targeted and universal approaches, with both showing small to moderate effect sizes (Cohen's d = 0.28) in preventing PTSD development 1
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
Type of precipitating event (Option A) is not the primary categorization framework, though trauma type does influence risk (sexual assault survivors have 50% PTSD rates versus lower rates for other trauma types) 1
Stage of disease progression (Option B) relates more to treatment phases (stabilization, trauma processing, reintegration) rather than prevention categorization 2
Severity of precipitating event (Option C) is a risk factor but not the organizing principle for prevention approaches 3
Frequency of precipitating events (Option D) relates to cumulative trauma burden but is not used to categorize prevention strategies 4
Clinical Implications
Prevention interventions can be delivered effectively to all trauma-exposed individuals without requiring complex risk stratification 1
The timing of intervention (hours to weeks post-trauma) appears more important than whether the approach is targeted or universal 1
Cognitive-behavioral secondary prevention delivered within 90 days of trauma exposure shows consistent efficacy regardless of population selection method 1