Civilian Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research Articles

Sexually and physically abused adolescents: An empirical search for PTSD

Recently, clinical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents have been investigated, yet little is known about its assessment or diagnosis. Few empirically based studies appear in the PTSD literature on non-adult populations. Data were collected from 19 physically and sexually abused adolescents (aged 13-18 years) who were living in a group home setting. Subjects were administered the MMPI, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results suggest that the subjects were moderately depressed and anxious, but that these adolescents did not manifest significant symptomatology of PTSD similar to that seen in adult, civilian PTSD populations using comparable MMPI measures. Implications of these findings for assessment purposes are discussed.

Prevalence of civilian trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in a representative national sample of women.

Prevalence of crime and noncrime civilian traumatic events, lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD in the past 6 months were assessed in a sample of U.S. adult women (N = 4,008). Random digit-dial telephone methods were used to identify study participants. Structured telephone interviews for assessment of specific crime or other traumatic event history and PTSD were conducted by trained female interviewers. Lifetime exposure to any type of traumatic event was 69%, whereas exposure to crimes that included sexual or aggravated assault or homicide of a close relative or friend occurred among 36%. Overall sample prevalence of PTSD was 12.3% lifetime and 4.6% within the past 6 months. The rate of PTSD was significantly higher among crime versus noncrime victims (25.8% vs. 9.4%). History of incidents that included direct threat to life or receipt of injury was a risk factor for PTSD. Findings are compared with data from other epidemiological studies. Results are discussed as they relate to PTSD etiology.

Chronic Vietnam PTSD and acute civilian PTSD a comparison of treatment experiences

Many types of external trauma have been linked to the genesis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and yet recent reports have focused almost exclusively on PTSD occurring in the Vietnam veteran (PTSD/veteran). The extent to which treatment experiences with PTSD/veteran can be generalized to other traumatized patients, for example, acute civilian populations, has not been investigated. Clinical observations comparing PTSD precipitated by a motor vehicle accident with PTSD/veteran suggested there were major differences between these two groups on the following variables: source of referral, age, sex, socioeconomic level, nature of stressor, timing of the stressor, character of the intrusive and avoidance symptoms, and treatment noncompliance behavior. These differences were of sufficient magnitude to call into question the feasibility, at this time, of constructing generalizations regarding PTSD utilizing only the PTSD/veteran population.