Abstract
Objective: To contrast the psychiatric and legal construct of psychological trauma, with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the reference disorder.
Method: Literature relevant to DSM-IV PTSD definition of a traumatic event (Criterion A) was assessed. This construct was compared with the current legal status for psychological trauma arising from recent judgements of the Australian High Court.
Conclusions: The current legal construct of psychological trauma is not only practical and sensible, but is far more evidence-based than the DSM-IV construct of trauma.