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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 8/2013

01-08-2013 | Original Paper

Analysis of the longitudinal course of PTSD in 716 survivors of 10 disasters

Authors: Carol S. North, Julianne Oliver

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 8/2013

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Abstract

Purpose

Identification of consistent predictors of the temporal course of PTSD has been hampered by non-uniform definitions of onset and remission. Onset and remission of PTSD based on different definitions were examined in a large database of systematically assessed disaster survivors.

Methods

Directly exposed survivors of 10 disasters were studied within approximately 3 months of the disasters and again 1–3 years later, using consistent methods including full diagnostic assessment, allowing aggregation of data from different disasters into a unified database of 716 survivors.

Results

Application of existing definitions of PTSD onset and remission uncovered problems with definitions based on diagnostic threshold as well as onset/remission of symptoms. Few predictors of timing of onset and PTSD remission were identified. Regardless, PTSD symptom group C was found to be pivotal to processes involved in both onset and remission of the disorder.

Conclusions

Research findings related to the onset and remission of PTSD are highly dependent on the definition used. Both symptom-based and diagnostic threshold-based definitions are problematic. Definitions of the onset and remission of PTSD might be more effectively based on the onset and remission of group C symptoms.
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Metadata
Title
Analysis of the longitudinal course of PTSD in 716 survivors of 10 disasters
Authors
Carol S. North
Julianne Oliver
Publication date
01-08-2013
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 8/2013
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0639-x

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