title: Post-traumatic stress disorder without the trauma.
abstract: Examples are reported of PTSD cases showing full symptomatology (intrusive imagery, avoidance behaviour, disordered arousal) in the absence of a single, acute, dramatic trauma of the kind required by the current DSM-III-R definition. Such trauma is thus not a necessary condition for PTSD, and other evidence shows it to be not a sufficient condition. It is suggested that the DSM-III-R Axis IV distinction between acute and enduring psychosocial stressors be incorporated into the definition to distinguish two pathways to stress disorder, post-traumatic (PTSD) and prolonged duress (PDSD). Differential treatment implications of the two routes are noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Stradling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*