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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Developing Neuroimaging Phenotypes of the Default Mode Network in PTSD: Integrating the Resting State, Working Memory, and Structural Connectivity
Published on: July 1, 2014
The existential effects of traumatic experiences: a survey of young adults
Mark Floyd1, Carissima Coulon, Alejandro P Yanez
1Psychology Department, University of Nevada, Box 455030, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030, USA. mfloyd@ccmail.nevada.edu
Abstract:
This study examined the relation between exposure to trauma and attitudes toward existential issues. Participants were 504 undergraduate students (average age = 19.67) who answered questions on exposure to trauma, fear of death, overall distress, and meaning in life. Results indicated that those with a history of trauma exposure had higher levels of overall distress, but there were no differences in death anxiety or meaning in life. The results suggest that the positive outcomes (less fear of death and increased meaning in life) associated with exposure to traumatic events may be relatively rare, especially amongst younger adults.
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