Influência de eventos traumáticos e sintomas de perturbação de stress pós-traumático na reatividade do sistema nervoso autónomo

Abstract

Traumatic events can occur in any individual and have the potential to trigger post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which, in turn, can influence the reactivity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between traumatic events, PTSD, and ANS reactivity. This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study with a sample of 120 participants: 90 individuals from the general population and 30 from the clinical population, aged between 19 and 77 years. Data collection was performed using four instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5), the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and the Body Perception Questionnaire (BPQ). The results indicated that women with a history of traumatic events had higher levels of PTSD symptoms, with no significant differences in ANS reactivity compared to women without a history of trauma. On the other hand, survivors of intimate partner violence exhibited higher levels of PTSD symptoms and greater ANS reactivity. Correlational analysis showed that greater exposure to traumatic events is associated with higher levels of PTSD symptoms and, to a moderate extent, greater autonomic reactivity. Multiple regression revealed that PTSD symptoms are a significant predictor of ANS reactivity, while traumatic events alone had no predictive effect. These results suggest that early assessment and intervention in PTSD symptoms may be fundamental to modulating autonomic nervous system reactivity, highlighting the importance of therapeutic strategies targeted at trauma survivors, especially in contexts of intimate partner violence.

Date of Award	24 Feb 2026
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Eleonora C. V. Costa (Supervisor)