Citation

Sijbrandij M, Engelhard IM, de Vries GJ, Luitse JSK, Carlier IV, Gersons BPR, Olff M. J. Clin. Psychol. Med. Settings 2013; 20(4): 449-455.

Affiliation

Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, e.m.sijbrandij@vu.nl.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10880-012-9348-6

PMID

23712593

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects a minority of trauma-exposed persons and is associated with significant impairment. This longitudinal study examined risk factors for PTSD. We tested whether the presence of injuries resulting from trauma exposure predicted the course of PTSD symptoms. In addition, we tested whether gender, trauma type, perceived life threat, and peritraumatic dissociation predicted the onset of PTSD symptoms. 236 trauma-exposed civilians were assessed for PTSD symptoms with a structured interview at four occasions during 6 months posttrauma. Path analysis showed that a model in which the female gender, assault, perceived life threat, and peritraumatic dissociation predicted PTSD severity at 1 week, and injury predicted PTSD severity 8 weeks after the traumatic event showed the best fit. However, a similar model without injury showed comparable fit. It is concluded that injuries have a negligible effect on the course of PTSD.

Language: en