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Effects of varying diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder are endorsing the concept of partial PTSD
Author(s) -
Schützwohl Matthias,
Maercker Andreas
Publication year - 1999
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 - 10.1023/a:1024706702133
Subject(s) - posttraumatic stress , psychology , clinical psychology , anxiety disorder , psychiatry , anxiety
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the appropriateness of different diagnostic criteria sets for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This was done by varying diagnostic criteria on the diagnosis of PTSD in a study group of N = 146 former political prisoners, and comparing the resulting diagnostic groups with a study group of N = 75 nontraumatized controls with regard to mean scores on measures of subjective distress (i.e., IES‐R, BDI, BAI, SCL‐90‐R). The findings did not support the diagnostic boundaries as defined by the DSM‐IV or the lowering of the avoidance criterion from three to two symptoms. The concept of partial PTSD appeared to be the most appropriate way to provide diagnostic coverage for those who did not meet full DSM IV criteria.