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Left hand preference is related to posttraumatic stress disorder
Author(s) -
Choudhary Carolyn J.,
O'Carroll Ronan E.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20222
Subject(s) - psychology , hand preference , arousal , posttraumatic stress , preference , clinical psychology , population , association (psychology) , psychiatry , anxiety disorder , developmental psychology , medicine , laterality , anxiety , social psychology , psychotherapist , environmental health , economics , microeconomics
Previous studies have found an increased prevalence of mixed/left handedness in male combat veterans and children with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examined lateral preference and screened for possible PTSD using a self‐completion instrument in a general population sample ( N = 596). Fifty‐one individuals met all criteria for possible diagnosis of PTSD and, significantly, this group contained relatively more left handers; this effect was associated with strong left‐handedness, rather than weak or mixed handedness. Left handers were found to have significantly higher scores in arousal symptoms of PTSD. This study extends previous findings to a civilian population and to women and suggests the association with left handedness may be a robust finding in people with PTSD.