Abstract
The diagnosis specificity of posttraumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) continues to evolve, and there are critical issues for forensic experts and mental health experts to consider in the proper use and understanding of this important diagnosis. PTSD has long been a poorly defined diagnosis. Recent empirical findings in the PTSD literature have led researchers to propose that the diagnostic criteria for this disorder do not appropriately rule out other disorders of extreme stress that are distinct from PTSD. The diagnostic criteria for PTSD have not covered the full range of posttraumatic impairments, such as emotional dysregulation or dysregulation of consciousness, which can be used to distinguish simple PTSD from more complex forms (Herman, 1992; Courtois & Ford, 2009). Research on stress disorders has revealed distinct symptomatic nuances that differentiate these disorders not only from PTSD but also from each other. Therefore, as the approaches to creating diagnostic criteria and conceptualizing stress disorders continue to evolve, the most efficient way to clinically assess these disorders should advance simultaneously. This chapter will provide a focused review of recent literature on stress disorders and will present an approach to assessment using repeated application of therapist evaluation and empirically supported measures based on the stage and type of the presenting stress disorder. Further directions for future research in this area are suggested.
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Bair, J.P., Bair, J.P., Long, K.M. (2014). Critical Issues in the Evolving Diagnosis of PTSD. In: Morewitz, S., Goldstein, M. (eds) Handbook of Forensic Sociology and Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7178-3_14
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