Risk Facotrs for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

In the 1980s, the psychiatric community first officially recognized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a diagnosis to describe the disorder that can occur following exposure to extremely traumatic events. Since that time, it has been observed that some patients who have been exposed to trauma do not develop PTSD or only have symptoms immediately following the event, whereas others show signs of chronic PTSD. Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder assembles almost 20 experts to examine the latest research for this topic. This book discusses strategies for assessing risk and compiles findings from several studies for identifying risk factors related to demographic, environmental, genetic, and biological factors. Complete with a summary of the latest findings that advance our knowledge of the effects of trauma, this resource is useful in identifying and treating individuals much earlier following a traumatic experience as well as in helping prevent vulnerable individuals from being exposed to traumatic events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)