Mississippi Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research Articles

Auditory Steady-State Evoked Potentials in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Introduction of a Potential Biomarker.

Objective: The lack of steady-state evoked potential (SSEP) studies on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has led to undiscovered useful information about the pathophysiology of the disorder. Thus, we explored SSEP patterns in PTSD patients during a stop-signal task to disclose possible impairments in these informative brain potentials. Method : 25 adult patients with PTSD and 25 healthy adults participated in this research. Subjects were assessed with electroencephalography while the tone signal stimuli at 40 Hz were used to evoke SSEPs and subjects performed a stop-signal task. The amplitude and phase of SSEPs were then computed in different brain regions. The subjects were also evaluated using the Mississippi PTSD questionnaire. Appropriate statistical methods such as repeated measure ANOVA were used to compare the two groups, and the correlation between SSEPs and clinical symptoms was assessed using Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Patients showed considerably poorer performance in the cognitive task (P < 0.01), accompanied by raised SSEP phase and amplitude in the anterior and midline regions compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). The Mississippi total score was positively correlated with the SSEP amplitude in the midline region (r = 0.62, P < 0.05). Furthermore, based on ROC analysis, the SSEP amplitude in the midline region provided an excellent AUC value (AUC = 0.850) for distinguishing patients with PTSD from normal subjects. Conclusion: Current findings suggest that abnormalities in the anterior and midline cortical neural networks are involved in the pathophysiology of PTSD. Importantly, midline abnormalities may provide a clinically-relevant measure for researchers wishing to assess the use of biomarkers for early diagnosis of PTSD as well as to evaluate new therapeutic and management approaches in the treatment of PTSD.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Time Perspective Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Academic Motivation, Academic Engagement, Academic Procrastination, and Academic Persistence in Flood-Affected Secondary School Students with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of time perspective therapy with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on academic motivation, academic engagement, academic procrastination, and academic persistence in flood-affected secondary school students with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The research design was a quasi-experimental extended study with a pretest-posttest and control group, along with follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all first-year secondary school students in the 2020-2021 academic year from the regions of Bavi, Karun, Hamidiyeh, and Shavur in Khuzestan province. After initial screening and obtaining consent from parents and students, 60 participants were selected. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups: 20 in the cognitive-behavioral interventions group, 20 in the time perspective therapy group, and 20 in the control group. The Mississippi PTSD Scale, Academic Motivation Questionnaire, Short Form of the Flow Scale by Martin and Jackson, Academic Procrastination Questionnaire, and Academic Persistence Scale were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using SPSS 24 software through multivariate and univariate covariance analysis. The findings indicated that the hypotheses regarding the effectiveness of time perspective therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy on academic motivation, academic engagement, academic procrastination, and academic persistence were confirmed. However, the hypotheses comparing the effectiveness of these two therapies on the dependent variables were not supported. Therefore, the implementation of time perspective therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy is recommended for the dependent variables of the study as well as for other academic issues faced by male and female students at various educational levels.

Effectiveness of Crisis Intervention Program in Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in COVID-19

Background: At the close of 2019, the world faced a phenomenon that plunged all human beings into extreme fear and anxiety. A new type of coronavirus began to spread among people across the globe, and this was the beginning of one of the greatest pandemics and its associated problems in the world. People with COVID-19 have low psychological tolerance and are highly exposed to psychological disorders. One of the most important psychological disorders that can harm the mental health of people affected by COVID-19 is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the crisis intervention program in PTSD symptoms among people with COVID-19. Method: This applied experimental study was conducted based on a pretest-posttest control group design. The statistical population consisted of all individuals with COVID-19 in Rasht, Iran, in 2019, of whom 30 people were selected using the available sampling method and were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). The participants in the experimental group received 10 sessions of the crisis intervention program. Mississippi (2006) PTSD analogy (Scale) was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental and control groups, demonstrating that the crisis intervention program was effective in PTSD (re-experience, withdrawal, numbness, arousal, and masochism) in COVID-19. The subjects in the experimental group had significantly less post-traumatic stress in the post-test group than those in the control group (P&lt;0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the use of crisis intervention programs can reduce PTSD in people with COVID-19. Therefore, it is recommended that psychologists use this therapeutic approach to reduce the psychological problems of people in crisis.

The Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in COVID-19 Recovered Patients: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the anxiety disorders caused by a specific event, which can be catastrophic events (natural disasters, war, imprisonment in a forced labor camp) or everyday adversities (death of relatives, divorce, carrying bags). Since patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are exposed to such events, this research was conducted to determine the prevalence of PTSD in this group. Materials &amp; Methods This study was cross-sectional. The statistical population included all patients who recovered from COVID-19 between November 2021 and February 2022 in Hamedan City, Iran; based on Krejcie and Morgan’s sample size table, 185 patients were selected by simple random sampling method. The research tool was the demographic questionnaire and the Mississippi post-traumatic stress disorder questionnaire (Mississippi PTSD); the data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results The results showed that the Mean±SD score of PTSD was 80.37±17.37 in the subjects who recovered from COVID-19. The relationship between the demographic variables of gender (P=0.01), education (P=0.039), occupation (P=0.24), marriage (P=0.62), age (P=0.048), weight (P=0.047), height (P=0.023) with PTSD were reported. Conclusion The results showed that 76.2% of people who recovered from COVID-19 were exposed to PTSD with moderate and high severity; therefore, techniques to reduce anxiety from the coronavirus are recommended.

Depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder among Iranian nursing caring for COVID-19 patients

COVID-19 has put great physical and psychological pressure on medical staff worldwide, including Iran. As with any other disaster, it is worth paying attention to the risk of developing depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the healthcare team. This study aimed to determine the severity of depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD status in healthcare staff involved in treating COVID-19 patients. 400 nurses and clinical assistants in a hospital occupied in treating COVID-19 were included in the study by the incidental sampling. The demographic information questionnaire, DASS-21, and Mississippi PTSD scales were applied to data collection. The mean score of PTSD in about half of the participants is severe. The mean score of re-experience sub-scale is higher than other sub-scales. Depression and stress are significantly higher in those infected with COVID-19. There is a significant difference between various age groups regarding the lack of depression. There is a significant difference in re-experience, alexithymia, and PTSD scores between participants with various marital statuses. Therefore, the existence of depression, stress, and PTSD among medical staff would be a major concern for the health ministry to protect the mental health of society members.

ПОСТСТРЕССОВЫЕ РЕАКЦИИ И РАССТРОЙСТВА У УЧАСТНИКОВ ВОЙНЫ В АРЦАХЕ / POST-STRESS REACTIONS AND DISORDERS AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE WAR IN ARTSAKH

Relevance: Psychological trauma and stress-related disorders represent the primary challenges in modern psychiatry, notably acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the context of contemporary fifth-generation warfare, combat trauma assumes particular signifi-cance, evident in the nature of resulting mental disorders. The aim: To examine the main forms of psychopathological disorders among 44-day Artsakh war participants. Material, methods: A total of 104 war veterans aged 18-50 were examined using clinical-psychopathological, laboratory, instrumental, and psychological methods, including the SCL-90-R, Mississippi PTSD scale, and Shmishek Personality Scale. Results: Among the participants, 77 individuals (74%) exhibited ASD, while 27 individuals (26%) displayed depressive and psychotic disorders, etc. Additionally, 39 participants (37.5%) showed signs of PTSD in its earliest stages of pathological development. The most prevalent personali-ty accentuation type observed was the exalted type (69 individuals, 66.3%). %). The statistical analy-sis unveiled significant differences in the expression of factors measured by the SCL-90-R, Mississippi-an, and Shmishek questionnaires. These differences were dependent on the combatants' age, type of military engagement, and the timing of hospital admission. Discussion: All forms of psychopathological disorders stemmed from an unique combat trauma, which, in this case, is characterized by its "invisibility, inaccessibility of the source of trauma, its reali-ty, and tangibility." The boundaries between post-trauma clinical manifestations are amorphous, overlapping, and do not correspond to the chronological criteria outlined in the ICD and DSM. Combat trauma acts as a catalyst for all post-trauma disorders. Conclusion: The atypical nature of trauma undermines the conventional criteria for PTSD and ASD. Chronological criteria fail to align with clinical realities, revealing challenges in distinguishing between ASD and PTSD. The findings suggest the existence of peritraumatic stress disorders, which encompass all post-trauma conditions.

A Cross-sectional Study of Psychosocial Problems Following Therapeutic Abortion With the Mother’s Spiritual Experiences

Objectives: Abortion can be stressful for the family and may lead to psychological problems. The question arises whether religious attitudes can be restructured into women who experience induced and spontaneous abortions. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after therapeutic abortion (Induced and spontaneous) with the mother’s spiritual experiences. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study with a sample size of 104 people was conducted in 2018-2019 in the selected hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The convenience sampling method was used in 2018. Research tools including the Mississippi PTSD Scale questionnaire were implemented for measuring stress and religious attitudes and completed immediately and a month after abortion. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using one-way ANOVA, least significant difference post hoc test, and paired t-test or Wilcoxon test. Results: Based on the results, 68.7%, 71.8%, and 72.7% of the abortion group with forensic medical letter, other causes, and spontaneous abortion had a high level of religious attitudes, respectively. In addition, 78.1%, 69.2%, and 72.7% of those who had an abortion with a forensic medical letter, underwent abortion for other causes, and experienced a spontaneous abortion had moderate PTSD immediately after abortion, respectively. Further, 62.5%, 64.1%, and 66.7% of women having an abortion with forensic medical letter, undergoing abortion for other causes, and experiencing spontaneous abortion had moderate PTSD one month after abortion, respectively. The findings revealed no significant relationship between PTSD differences immediately and a month after the abortion in the subjects (P=0.175). Conclusions: The research community had a high religious attitude while having no association with PTSD reductions. More than half of the pregnancies were unwanted, which may be due to stress levels.

Promotion of posttraumatic stress disorder following traumatic birth experiences and the influence of maternity religious Attitude: A correlational study.

BACKGROUND:Women who experience stillbirth and preterm delivery are likely to be associated with an increased risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to women with live births and dose religious attitude related to posttraumatic stress? The aim of the study was promotion PTSD following traumatic birth experiences and the influence of maternity religious Attitude.MATERIALSAND METHODS:A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at selected hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences on 82 subjects in 2018. The instruments were demographic questionnaire, Religious Attitude questionnaire, and Mississippi PTSD Scale which were completed after delivery. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 22, using the Pearson correlation test.RESULTS:About 75% stillbirth group and 65% of the preterm delivery group had a high level of religious attitude. In the stillbirth group, 90% had high levels of PTSD and in the preterm delivery group, 90% had moderate stress, and 10% had high PTSD levels. The correlation between religious attitude and PTSD after stillbirth was 0.373 with a significance level of 0.018. Therefore, there was a significant positive relationship between religious attitude and PTSD. However, the relationship between religious attitude and PTSD after preterm delivery was not statistically significant (P = 0.158).CONCLUSION:PTSD was significantly higher in mothers with stillbirth and had a significant relationship with religious attitude. However, in mothers of preterm infants, the level of stress was moderate and did not have a significant relationship with religious attitude. The findings indicate the need of mothers for interventions to cope better with the physical and psychological problems of stillbirth and preterm delivery.

Self-compassion and cognitive flexibility in trauma-exposed individuals with and without PTSD

Considering the importance of cognitive processes in controlling behavior and emotion, and also individuals’ different reactions toward traumatic events; the current study was carried out to compare self-compassion and cognitive flexibility in trauma-exposed individuals with and without post-traumatic stress disorder. In this cross-sectional study, subjects were recruited among individuals exposed to at least one traumatic event in Gilan-Gharb city (Iran). Through the available sampling method, the numbers of 400 people were selected, and after exerting inclusion and exclusion criterions, 252 individuals concluded the final sample of the study. Subjects were divided into two groups of with and without post-traumatic stress disorder based on clinical interview and the cut-off scores higher than 103 in the Civilian Mississippi Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder scale; Then responded to the demographic questionnaire, Self-Compassion Scale and Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire individually. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Multivariate Analysis of Variance test. Results revealed that the mean scores of the group with post-traumatic stress disorder were significantly lower than the group without post-traumatic stress disorder in variables of Cognitive Flexibility, Self-Compassion, and components of self-compassion including Self-Kindness, Common Humanity, and Mindfulness; the mean scores of the group with post-traumatic stress disorder were significantly higher than the group without post-traumatic stress disorder in components of self-compassion including Self-judgment, Isolation, and Over-Identification. Findings of the present study suggest that self-compassionate attitude toward shortcomings and failures of self, and cognitive flexibility is lower in people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder than those trauma-exposed individuals without post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Severity of Post-abortion Stress in Spontaneous, Induced and Forensic Medical Center Permitted Abortion in Shiraz, Iran, in 2018.

Background:Abortion and loss of pregnancy in the first trimester may affect maternal mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to determine the severity of post-abortion stress in spontaneous abortion, induced abortion, and Forensic Medical Center (FMC) referral abortions immediately after abortion and after 1 month of follow-up in Shiraz, Iran, in 2018.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted on 104 mothers selected through convenience sampling method in 2018. The data collection tools included a demographic characteristics questionnaire and the Mississippi Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (M-PTSD) Scale that were filled out by mothers immediately and 1 month after the abortion. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc LSD test in SPSS software. Moreover, p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results:The mean (SD) of post-traumatic stress scores was 83.87 (18.35) and 77.40 (9.88) in spontaneous abortion, 82.28 (13.27) and 75.71 (14.73) in FMC permitted abortions, and 86.66 (10.10) and 74.98 (12.99) in induced abortions immediately and 1 month after abortion, respectively. Stress was reduced in the three groups of mothers, after one month of severe value. The score for frequency of stress was 3.10% in FMC-permitted abortions and 5.10% in induced abortions; moreover, no stress was observed in the spontaneous abortion cases.Conclusions:Stress was gradually reduced over time. The level of PTSD was lower after 1 month in women who had experienced spontaneous abortion. Given that 1 month after abortion, women are still often moderately stressed, follow-up care, and appropriate counseling for these women are necessary.

Predictors of PTSD 40 years after combat: Findings from the National Vietnam Veterans longitudinal study.

Few studies have longitudinally examined predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a nationally representative sample of US veterans. We examined predictors of warzone-related PTSD over a 25-year span using data from the National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study (NVVLS). The NVVLS is a follow-up study of Vietnam theater veterans (N = 699) previously assessed in the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS), a large national-probability study conducted in the late 1980s. We examined the ability of 22 premilitary, warzone, and postmilitary variables to predict current warzone-related PTSD symptom severity and PTSD symptom change in male theater veterans participating in the NVVLS. Data included a self-report Health Questionnaire survey and a computer-assisted telephone Health Interview Survey. Primary outcomes were self-reported PTSD symptoms assessed by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL 5) and Mississippi PTSD Scale (M-PTSD). Predictors of current PTSD symptoms most robust in hierarchical multivariable models were African-American race, lower education level, negative homecoming reception, lower current social support, and greater past-year stress. PTSD symptoms remained largely stable over time, and symptom exacerbation was predicted by African-American race, lower education level, younger age at entry into Vietnam, greater combat exposure, lower current social support, and greater past-year stressors. Findings confirm the robustness of a select set of risk factors for warzone-related PTSD, establishing that these factors can predict PTSD symptom severity and symptom change up to 40 years postdeployment.

The Comparison of Experimental Avoidance, Mindfulness and Rumination in Trauma-Exposed Individuals With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in an Iranian Sample

The aim of this study was to compare experimental avoidance, mindfulness and rumination in trauma-exposed individuals with and without PTSD in an Iranian sample. The method of the study was retrospective. The statistical population of the study composed of all people under the auspices of Committee on Relief or Martyr Foundation because of exposure to at least one traumatic event in Gilan-Gharb city (Iran) (N=1708). One hundred people, selected randomly by stratified sampling method, responded to Mississippi PTSD scale and the questionnaires of experimental avoidance, mindfulness and rumination individually. Subjects were divided into two groups of with and without PTSD based on Mississippi PTSD scale and structured clinical interview. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test was used for analyzing data. Results showed that although the mean scores of the group with PTSD were significantly higher than the group without PTSD in variables of experimental avoidance (P<0/001, F=63/8) and rumination (P<0/001, F=21/34), the mean scores of the group with PTSD were significantly lower than the group without PTSD in the overall score of mindfulness (P<0/05, F=6/64) and variables of observing (P<0/05, F=8/27) and action description (P<0/05, F=9/19). These results show that the experimental avoidance and rumination are as the risk factors and mindfulness as the protective factor PTSD in people faced with trauma.

Posttrauma Symptoms in Poles Persecuted for Political Reasons, 1939–1968

This study aimed to examine the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in individuals suffering from chronic untreated PTSD. The study population consisted of 329 politically persecuted Poles who had never been treated for PTSD. The severity of PTSD symptoms was assessed through a psychiatric examination and a Polish version of the civilian Mississippi PTSD Questionnaire. The results from our clinical examination correlated closely with those from the Mississippi PTSD Questionnaire. PTSD symptoms tended to be moderate or mild in severity. Politically persecuted people may demonstrate the full spectrum of posttraumatic symptoms decades after the trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder among paramedic and hospital emergency personnel in south-east Iran.

Paramedic and emergency personnel may encounter directly many events that threat their own wellbeing during their daily work. This study was conducted to examine the prevalence rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among two groups of paramedic and emergency personnel in south-east Iran. The study employed a descriptive design and was conducted in four hospital emergency wards and a pre-hospital emergency base supervised by Kerman Medical University. Using Mississippi PTSD, we assessed the prevalence rate in paramedics (n=150) and emergency personnel (n=250). The two groups had different levels of education, marital status, experience of traumatic events, work hours per month, and gender. Most (94%) of paramedic and hospital emergency personnel reported moderate PTSD. The two groups had significant different levels of PTSD in all subscale. The study suggests that health care managers should organize systematic and dynamic policies and procedures in dealing with PTSD to assist both groups of personnel.

Persistence of Traumatic Memories in World War II Prisoners of War

To assess the long-term effects of the prisoner of war (POW) experience on U.S. World War II (WWII) veterans. Exploratory study. Participants were recruited through the Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital; a POW reunion in Orlando, Florida; and the WWII veterans periodical, "The QUAN." One hundred fifty-seven American military veterans who were former WWII POWs. Participants completed a mailed survey describing their POW experiences, POW effects on subsequent psychological and physical well-being, and ways in which these experiences shaped major decisions in their lives. Participants from the European and Pacific theaters reported that their captivity during WWII affected their long-term emotional well-being. Both groups reported high rates of reflection, dreaming, and flashbacks pertaining to their POW experiences, but Pacific theater POWs did so at higher rates in the present than in the past. Large portions of both groups reported greater rumination on POW experiences after retirement. Finally, 16.6% of participants met the requirements of a current, clinical diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on the Mississippi PTSD scale, with PTSD rates in Pacific theater POWs (34%) three times those of European theater POWs (12%). Traumatic memories and clinical levels of PTSD persist for WWII POWs as long as 65 years after their captivity. Additionally, rumination about these experiences, including flashbacks and persistent nightmares, may increase after retirement, particularly for those held in the Pacific theater. These findings inform the current therapeutic needs of this elderly population and future generations of POWs from other military conflicts.

Topiramate in Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling psychiatric disorder that is common among combat veterans and may lead to very poor sleep and disturbing nightmares. To examine the safety and effectiveness of topiramate as add-on therapy for the management of combat-related PTSD and to examine the effects of topiramate on sleep and alcohol consumption. We conducted an 8-week open-label pilot study of topiramate for male combat veterans (N = 43) with PTSD, with analysis of veterans who completed the protocol. Psychometric, sleep, and alcohol consumption assessments were conducted at baseline and at week 8. Twenty-nine subjects completed the 8-week study. Significant reductions in Clinician Administered PTSD Scale scores were observed at the 8-week endpoint (from 86.3 +/- 21.1 to 67.1 +/- 25.1; p < 0.01). Decreases were seen in both Stanford Sleepiness Scale scores (from 10.5 +/- 0.72 to 9.0 +/- 0.58; p = 0.08) and Mississippi PTSD scores (from 120.4 +/- 6.5 to 111.5 +/- 20.9; p = 0.08), but the extent of the changes did not attain statistical significance for either scale. There was a significant reduction in the proportion of patients with nightmares (from 100% to 62%; p < 0.001) and patients who experienced anxiety that interfered with falling asleep (from 90% to 62%; p < 0.05). The proportion of patients with high-risk drinking patterns also decreased (from 31% to 14%). Two serious adverse events were reported during the study: an increase in low back pain and an episode of acute confusion. When used in addition to other empiric therapy, topiramate may be effective at reducing general symptoms of combat-related PTSD and reducing high-risk alcohol intake and nightmares. Further randomized controlled trials of topiramate for the treatment of combat-related PTSD are warranted.

Exploratory factor analysis of two measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a non-clinical sample of college students

This study investigated the psychometric structure of two widely utilized measures of posttraumatic symptoms in a primarily Caucasian non-clinical sample. Given the prevalence of trauma exposure in non-referred samples, measurement of resulting symptoms is a critical issue. Exploratory factor analysis was utilized to assess and compare the factor structure of the Impact of Event Scale [IES; Horowitz, M., Wilner, N., & Alvarez, W. (1979). Impact of Event Scale: a measure of subjective stress. Psychosomatic Medicine, 41, 209–218] and the Mississippi Scale for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Civilian version [MIS-Civ; Vreven, D. L., Gudanowski, D. M., King, L. A., & King, D. W. (1995). The Civilian Version of the Mississippi PTSD Scale—a psychometric evaluation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 8, 91–109] in a sample of college students reporting exposure to potentially traumatic events. The psychometric structure of the IES was largely consistent with the two-factor structure widely reported in the literature, while the structure of the MIS-Civ varied considerably in this sample. Notably, non-clinical samples tended to report fewer social and occupational dysfunction than clinical samples predominantly utilized in PTSD research. Implications for use of these instruments in screening samples are discussed.

Abnormal mismatch negativity in women with sexual assault-related posttraumatic stress disorder

Background: Disturbances in sensory processing have been hypothesized in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The authors investigated this possibility by using mismatch negativity (MMN), an event-related potential (ERP) that reflects the operation of a preconscious cortical detector of stimulus change. Methods: Thirteen medication-free women with sexual assault-related PTSD were compared with 16 age-matched, healthy comparison women without PTSD. ERPs were elicited by regularly presented “standard” auditory stimuli and by infrequently occurring “deviant” auditory stimuli, which differed slightly in frequency. The MMN was identified in the subtraction waveforms as the difference between ERPs elicited by the deviant and standard stimuli. Group comparisons of P50, N1, P2, and N2 to the standard and to the deviant stimuli, and of the MMN in the subtraction waveform were performed. Results: The amplitude of the MMN was significantly greater in the PTSD compared to the non-PTSD women. MMN was significantly correlated with the total Mississippi PTSD Symptom Scale score in the PTSD group. No significant group differences were noted in P50, N1, or P2 responding. Significant group differences in N2 were due to the increased MMN in PTSD subjects. Conclusions: The data provide evidence for abnormalities in preconscious auditory sensory memory in PTSD, whereas earlier studies have reported abnormalities in conscious processing. These data suggest an increased sensitivity to stimulus changes in PTSD and implicate the auditory cortex in the pathophysiology of the disorder.

Is Gulf War syndrome due to stress? The evidence reexamined.

Medical policy-makers have concluded that stress from wartime trauma and deployment constitutes an important cause of the chronic physical symptoms observed in US veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War. The author reviewed scientific articles from peer-reviewed journals referenced in the final report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' illnesses and conducted a MEDLINE literature search. All reported prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Gulf War veterans were defined by critical cutpoints on psychometric scales constructed by summing veterans' responses on standardized symptom questionnaires rather than by clinical psychiatric interviews. Observed PTSD rates varied from 0% to 36% (mean, 9%). Correcting for measurement errors with previously determined values of the sensitivity (range 0.77 to 0.96) and specificity (range 0.62 to 0.89) of the psychometric tests yielded estimated true PTSD rates of 0% for 18 of the 20 reported rates. Mean scores on the Mississippi PTSD scale in all subgroups of Gulf War veterans were within the range of values for well-adjusted Vietnam veterans (50-89) and far below that of Vietnam veterans with psychiatrically confirmed PTSD (120-140). Most PTSD and "stress-related symptoms" reported in studies of Gulf War veterans appear to represent false-positive errors of measurement reflecting nonspecific symptoms of other conditions.

Psychometric properties of the Civilian version of the Mississippi PTSD scale

AbstractThe psychometric properties of the Civilian Mississippi Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Scale were explored. The Mississippi is internally consistent (α ≅ 89, split‐half r ≅ 80), and it can discriminate between traumatized and nontraumatized respondents. However, its relationship with measures of PTSD was weaker than its relationship with measures of depression and anxiety, suggesting that it may be more of a general measure of distress. The results of a series confirmatory factor analyses provided mixed results. These findings were discussed along with recommendations for use of this instrument.