title: Reactivation of posttraumatic stress in male disaster survivors: the role of residual symptoms.
abstract: The aim of this study was to establish the relative distribution of resilient, remitted, chronic and reactivated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a population of survivors from a major civilian disaster. Residual PTSD symptoms were explored to identify predictors of future reactivation. Symptoms were measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES) 5.5 months, 14 months and 5 years after the disaster. Forty-eight survivors (79%) were interviewed after 27 years. PTSD status was determined by using the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I Disorders (SCID-I). The distributions were: 58.3% resilient, 14.6% remitted, 8.3% chronic, and 18.8% reactivated PTSD. Number of residual symptoms from intrusion and avoidance 14 months and 5 years past trauma predicted later reactivation. Intrusion symptoms in general, and sleep related intrusions in particular, were the most consistent predictors deserving special attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Hans Jakob
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Boe
authors.forename: Katrine H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Holgersen
authors.forename: Are
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holen
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000523:psychology*; D004190:Disasters; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009659:North Sea; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012372:ROC Curve; D012008:Recurrence; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors