After the recent mass shooting in Toronto, Ontario, the risk of those affected by the traumatic event developing a stress disorder post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become an increased possibility. The traumatic mass shooting, which took place on Danforth Avenue in Toronto, claimed the lives of three people and injured 13 others (Bein, 2018; McQuigge and Thompson 2018). Margaret McKinnon's (2018) article on "How to Prevent PTSD After Mass Violence," originally shared on The Conversation and later on The National Post, discussed the symptoms and development process of PTSD. post-traumatic stress. The article focuses on what to watch for, but does not address concrete steps individuals can take to reduce psychopathology related to the development of this disorder (McKinnon, 2018). McKinnon (2018) is a member of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University, located in Hamilton, Ontario. The positive aspect of this journal article is that McKinnon's academic background provides individuals with a level of reliable information. However, receiving information from someone with an extensive academic background does not imply that the information provided is necessarily correct, with critical insight often being facilitated. This article will focus on the extent to which PTSD is preventable and which individuals are most at risk of developing this disorder. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay The DSM 5 determines the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, for those who have or directly experience a traumatic event, which is defined by threat or exposure to death, sexual assault or serious injury (DSM 5, 2013 cited by Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017). As mentioned by Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin (2017), symptoms may include detachment, reliving the event through nightmares, or hypervigilance. For example, if a person developed symptoms of PTSD after the mass shooting in Toronto, they might have numerous nightmares and/or feel detached from their daily life since the incident. As McKinnon (2018) mentions, if symptoms are detected early and treated by a medical professional, this can prevent the severity of the individual's psychopathology. Reflecting on the traumatic event of the World Trade Center bombings, the risk factors that were present in people who developed PTSD, in order to identify those who might be most at risk after the mass shooting at Toronto. Since the World Trade Center bombings, research into individuals' psychological response to this traumatic event leading to PTSD has been extensive (Adams & Boscarino, 2006; Yehuda, 2002). Adams and Boscarino (2006) explore patterns of risk factors that affected the development of PTSD in response to the World Trade Center bombings over a two-year period. What was found was that an individual's younger age, female gender, level of exposure, number of additional traumatic experiences, social support, and self-esteem all played a role. role in the development and prevalence of PTSD (Adams and Boscarino, 2006). However, it can be argued that the fact that this study took place in the United States and the extent of the trauma was much greater may not apply to the Toronto mass shooting. That being said, Nolen-Hoeksema and Marroquin (2017) showed how many of these factors arepredominant factors in individual risk of developing PTSD, such as social factors that an individual also has access to, as well as pre-existing symptoms of anxiety and depression. . Although they vary greatly in magnitude, the risk factors that make individuals vulnerable to developing PTSD can be used to provide help to those most vulnerable. This article will begin by simply looking at the general risk factors that can affect an individual's likelihood of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD and associated symptoms can result from a traumatic event in a person's life, such as the recent mass shooting in Toronto (Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017). The likelihood of developing the disorder may depend on various factors, such as the severity of the event, the duration of the event, and the distance or proximity of the individual to the traumatic event (Cardozo, Vergara, Agani and Gotway, 2000; Ehlers et al., 1998; Hoge et al., 2004; cited in Nolen-Hoeksema and Marroquin, 2017; For example, the severity of the mass shooting, the length of time a person was exposed to the traumatic event, and the distance they stood from the shooter or people who were shot can affect the likelihood that a person develops PTSD. Biological, social, and psychological supporters of an individual's overall well-being prior to the traumatic event may also play a role in the likelihood of developing PTSD (Nolen-Hoeksema & Marroquin, 2017; Nagy, 2018). An individual biological stress response may respond positively to a situation to prevent the individual from developing PTSD, but when this stress response does not function in accordance, it may play a negative role on the individual's ability to cope with such traumatic stress (McEwen, 1998; Shalev and Yehuda, 1998 cited by Nagy, 2018). The presence of positive social support may be a key element in an individual's ability to cope with such traumatic and stressful events (Adams & Boscarino, 2006). However, as noted by Nolen-Hoeksema and Marroquin (2017), pre-existing symptoms of depression or anxiety can increase the likelihood that an individual will develop PTSD symptoms. The likelihood of a person developing PTSD after the Toronto mass shooting may depend on factors beyond the person's control, such as the distance, severity, and duration of the traumatic event. When pre-existing factors such as biological, social and psychological factors are influenced by such significant stress, it can lead to the development of a disorder. This article now aims to understand the prevalence and preventability of PTSD in children and young people. affected. One of the victims of the mass shooting in Toronto was that of a 10-year-old girl (Bein, 2018). As discussed by Lilienfeld et al. (2017), children and adolescents tend to be quite resilient in the face of trauma. Although this may often be the case, Garrett et al. (2012) showed that PTSD can affect young people’s emotional development. Also, as mentioned by Adams and Boscarino (2006), younger women (18-29 years old) with lower socioeconomic background and low self-esteem were displaced to exhibit increased PTSD symptomatology. Which could show that special attention should be given to certain young people due to their social environmental state and psychological state of mind. It is therefore crucial to identify risk factors that may place young people at risk of developing PTSD and to work to develop targeted prevention methods...