Selective processing of threat cues in posttraumatic stress disorder.
Vietnam combat veterans with (n = 15) and without (n = 15) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) performed a modified Stroop task in which they named the colors of neutral words (e.g., INPUT), positive words (e.g., LOVE), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) words (e.g., GERMS), and PTSD words (e.g., BODYBAGS). In contrast to normal controls, PTSD patients took significantly longer to color-name PTSD words than to color-name neutral, OCD, and positive words. Because Stroop interference reflects involuntary semantic activation, it may provide a quantitative measure of intrusive cognitive activity--the hallmark symptom of PTSD.
McNally
R J
RJ
Department of Psychology, University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, Illinois 60064.
Kaspi
S P
SP
Riemann
B C
BC
Zeitlin
S B
SB
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D003118:Color Perception; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010556:Personality Tests; D012660:Semantics; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014744:Vietnam