Arousal, numbing, and intrusion: symptom structure of PTSD following assault.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated hypotheses concerning the importance of symptoms of numbing in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
Symptoms of PTSD were assessed in 72 female rape victims and 86 female victims of nonsexual assault approximately 3 months after the crimes occurred. A principal-components factor analysis of subjects' symptoms was then undertaken.


RESULTS
The analysis yielded three factors: arousal/avoidance, numbing, and intrusion. These were somewhat different from the symptom clusters in DSM-III-R, since effortful avoidance and numbing symptoms did not load on the same factor. Numbing symptoms appeared to be particularly important in identifying individuals with PTSD.


CONCLUSIONS
The results imply that there are two patterns of posttrauma symptoms, one characterizing PTSD and the second characterizing a phobic reaction.
Foa
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Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, Philadelphia, 19129.
Riggs
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DS
Gershuny
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BS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D003415:Crime; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011902:Rape; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014754:Violence