title: Initial symptoms and reactions to trauma-related stimuli and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: We investigated laboratory and experimental variables as predictors of the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Evoked heart rate response to trauma-related pictures, attentional bias in the dot-probe task, and viewing time were assessed in 35 victims of a traumatic event and again after 3 months. Data was compared to 26 control participants. At first assessment trauma victims showed heart rate (HR) acceleration and controls showed HR deceleration to trauma-related material. The group of trauma victims improved clinically over time. Predictors of the number of PTSD symptoms after 3 months were re-experiencing (33% of the variance) and amplitude of the evoked HR reaction to trauma-related pictures (15%). The two variables were highly correlated. Trauma victims were also more anxious, viewed trauma-related pictures for a longer time, and had a longer reaction time in the dot-probe task (but no distinct attentional bias) than control participants. Results indicate that specific fear responses and re-experiencing contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany. Elsesser@uni-wuppertal.de
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elsesser
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sartory
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tackenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D040701:Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires