title: Applying biological data in the forensic and policy arenas.
abstract: Of the biological measures in the field of traumatic stress studies, the script-driven imagery paradigm has yielded the most consistent data. Approximately, two-thirds of individuals with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit heightened psychophysiologic reactivity while listening to audiotaped descriptions of their traumatic autobiographical memories. Nevertheless, these findings do not necessarily indicate the presence of PTSD or even that the memories are genuine. For example, people reporting (presumably) false memories of having been abducted by space aliens similarly exhibit heightened reactivity, even though they do not suffer from PTSD. To enhance the validity of diagnostic decision making in the forensic and policy arenas, we can use the methods of historians, specifically, consulting archival records to verify trauma histories and supplement biological data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 1230 William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. rjm@wjh.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McNally
mesh_terms: D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006664:History; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D011640:Public Policy; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*