Medical College of Wisconsin
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Comparing the effect of DSM-congruent traumas vs. DSM-incongruent stressors on PTSD symptoms: A meta-analytic review. J Anxiety Disord 2016 Mar;38:37-46

Date

01/25/2016

Pubmed ID

26803532

DOI

10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.01.001

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84955473035 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   50 Citations

Abstract

Experts have long debated how to define the PTSD traumatic stressor criterion. Prior research demonstrates that PTSD symptoms (PTSS) sometimes stem from events that do not meet the DSM requirements for Criterion A (e.g., divorce, bereavement, illness). This meta-analysis of 22 studies examined whether PTSS differ for DSM-congruent criterion A1 traumatic events vs. DSM-incongruent events. The overall effect was significant, albeit small, suggesting that PTSS were greater for individuals who experienced a DSM-congruent event; heterogeneity analyses also indicated further exploration. Two significant moderators emerged: assessment of both A1 and A2 (vs. A1 alone) yielded a significant effect for higher PTSS following traumas vs. stressors. Likewise, self-report assessment of life threat (Criterion A1)-vs. rater or a priori assessment of A1-yielded a significant effect for higher PTSS following traumas. Our results indicate that higher levels of PTSS develop following traumas, and highlight important methodological moderators that may affect this relationship.

Author List

Larsen SE, Pacella ML

Author

Sadie E. Larsen PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Humans
Psychological Trauma
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Stress, Psychological