Module 6: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Management and Prevention - Diagnostic Criteria

DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA DSM IV:

The following are the DSM IV criteria for the existence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (Note:DSM IV stands for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4th edition - A reference book for psychiatric and medical conditions, published by the American Psychological Association.)

1. The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were present:

   • person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others;
   • person’s response involved fear helplessness, or horror.



2. The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the following ways:

   • recurrent, intrusive and distressing recollections;
   • recurrent, distressing dreams;
   • acting or feeling as if the event is recurring;
   • intense psychological distress when reminded or exposed to cues associated with the traumatic event;
   • physiological reactivity to reminders or associations.



3. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness as indicated by three of the following:

   • avoids thought, feelings, conversation about the event;
   • avoids activities, places or people associated with the event;
   • inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma;
   • diminished interest and participation in significant activities;
   • feeling of detachment or estrangement from others;
   • restricted range of affect;
   • sense of a foreshortened future.



4. Persistent symptoms of increased arousal indicated by two or more of the following:

   • difficulty falling or staying asleep;
   • irritability or outbursts of anger;
   • difficulty concentrating;
   • hyper-vigilance;
   • exaggerated startle response.



5. Duration of the disturbance is more than one month.

6. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.

The condition may be:

• ACUTE: symptoms less than three months.
• CHRONIC: symptoms three months or more.
• DELAYED ONSET: onset of symptoms at least six months after stressor.