8 - Post-traumatic stress disorder

Summary

In the DSM-IV-TR, there are six diagnostic criteria that must be present for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Among the general population, PTSD-like symptoms are very common immediately following a traumatic event. Conditioning theories of PTSD, which assume that PTSD develops through associative and operant learning processes, were among the earliest psychological models of the disorder. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) yields large effect sizes, and is considered the gold standard of care for PTSD by the International Society for Traumatic Stress, the American Psychiatric Association, and the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense. An important facet of treatment for PTSD is psychoeducation about the nature of avoidance and the role that avoidance plays in the development and maintenance of PTSD. Careful assessment of PTSD and co-occurring conditions, as well as patient strengths, limitations, values, and context are critical to successful implementation of treatment.