title: Measuring outcome in posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: This article summarizes the features of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that may affect treatment outcome and discusses the areas in which treatment outcome can be productively evaluated. PTSD is a complex psychiatric condition that tends to run a chronic course. Measurement of treatment outcome in PTSD is confounded by multiple factors, including a high prevalence of comorbid disorders, reactivation of the syndrome by ongoing environmental stressors, spontaneous recovery of the early disorder, and a fluctuating course of the chronic disorder. Four principal domains of treatment outcome may be evaluated in PTSD: core symptom severity, comorbid conditions (particularly depression), adverse practices (e.g., violence or alcohol consumption), and social/vocational disability. To gain an accurate assessment of these domains, a comprehensive assessment battery is needed. The relevant instruments and their yield in studies of PTSD are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah University Hospital, Center for Traumatic Stress, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Shalev
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome