Premium
A comparison of PTSD symptom patterns in three types of civilian trauma
Author(s) -
Kelley Lance P.,
Weathers Frank W.,
McDevittMurphy Meghan E.,
Eakin David E.,
Flood Amanda M.
Publication year - 2009
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.20406
Subject(s) - etiology , posttraumatic stress , psychiatry , psychology , clinical psychology , association (psychology) , psychological trauma , poison control , injury prevention , medicine , medical emergency , psychotherapist
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is assumed to be an equivalent syndrome regardless of the type of traumatic event that precipitated it. However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM‐IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and previous research suggest that the clinical presentation of PTSD varies by trauma type. This study compared PTSD symptom profiles in three types of civilian trauma: sexual assault ( n = 86), motor vehicle accident ( n = 162), and sudden loss of a loved one ( n = 185). Groups differed in overall PTSD severity and displayed distinct PTSD symptom patterns. Results suggest that different trauma types lead to unique variants of the PTSD syndrome, which may result from different etiological factors and may require different treatment approaches.