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Conducting applied research on Vietnam combat‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder
Author(s) -
Denny Nathan,
Robinowitz Ralph,
Penk Walter
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198701)43:1<56::aid-jclp2270430108>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - psychology , stressor , personality disorders , clinical psychology , personality , interpersonal communication , traumatic stress , posttraumatic stress , psychiatry , social psychology
A paradigmatic shift in post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research is underway. Formistic and mechanistic reserch designs, characterized by single‐category, single‐cause, single‐effect models, gradually are being replaced by contextual and organistic research designs that feature multi‐category, multi‐cause, and multi‐effect interactional models. Such changes in diagnostic and treatment outcome research require solving many methodological issues in such areas as: (1) measuring types of traumas and stressors; (2) measuring PTSD symptoms and subtypes; (3) measuring subject dispositional characteristics (such as ethnic differences); (4) assessing concurrent and/or pre‐existing psychiatric (Axis I) disorders; (5) classifying personality styles and concurrent and/or pre‐existing personality (Axis II) disorders; (6) evaluating phase in the development of PTSD as a disorder; (7) measuring current environmental stresses and interpersonal interactions; and (8) assessing secondary gains and readiness for treatment. These and other methodological problems must be addressed as research on PTSD shifts to longitudinal measurement of subjects randomly assigned to treatment conditions.