Trauma na infância, eventos de vida traumáticos, dor física e reatividade do sistema nervoso autónomo

Abstract

There are various events with traumatic potential that can damage healthy development and lead to negative consequences for life. More specifically, consequences on a physical level, such as pain, which consequently affects the autonomic nervous system. The main objective of this study was to analyze the relationships between childhood trauma, potentially traumatic life events, physical pain and autonomic nervous system reactivity. This is a descriptivecorrelational and cross-sectional study that included a non-random convenience sample with a total of 124 participants. Of these, 64 belonged to the clinical sample who had experienced a traumatic event and the remaining 60 belonged to the non-clinical sample, since they had not experienced any potentially traumatic event. Data collection was performed using a Sociodemographic and Clinical Questionnaire, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Life Events Checklist, the Brief Pain Inventory and the Body Perception Questionnaire. The results revealed that childhood trauma, potentially traumatic events and autonomic nervous system reactivity are correlated. Physical pain is only correlated with the reactivity of the autonomic nervous system. They also revealed that there are differences between the clinical sample and the non-clinical sample in terms of the reactivity of the autonomic nervous system

Date of Award	17 Feb 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Eleonora C. V. Costa (Supervisor)