Psychological trauma: psychiatry and the law in conflict.
OBJECTIVE
To contrast the psychiatric and legal construct of psychological trauma, with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the reference disorder.


METHODS
Literature relevant to DSM-IV PTSD definition of a traumatic event (Criterion A) was assessed. This construct was compared with the current legal status for psychological trauma arising from recent judgements of the Australian High Court.


CONCLUSIONS
The current legal construct of psychological trauma is not only practical and sensible, but is far more evidence-based than the DSM-IV construct of trauma.
Tennant
Chris
C
Department of Psychological Medicine, Sydney University, New South Wales, Australia. tennant@med.usyd.edu.au
D001315:Australia; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*