Title

Avoidance Symptoms and Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Arab Immigrant Women

Authors

Authors

A. E. Norris;K. J. Aroian

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Trauma Stress

Keywords

PTSD; REFUGEES; TRAUMA; ADULTS; Psychology, Clinical; Psychiatry

Abstract

This study investigates whether the avoidance symptom criterion required for a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordes, Fourth Edition (DSMp-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is overly conservative. Arab immigrant women (N = 453), many of whom reported experiencing multiple traumatic events, compledted the posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale in Arabic as part of a face to face interview. Analyses indicated all but one avoidance symptom was reported less frequently than reexperienceing and arousal symptoms. However, those who fully met reexperiencing, avoidance, and arousal symptom criteria had worse symptom severity and functioning than those who fully met reexperiencing and arousal sympton criteria, but only partialy met avoidance symptom criterion. Study findings support importance of the PTSD avoidance symptom criterion.

Journal Title

Journal of Traumatic Stress

Volume

21

Issue/Number

5

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

471

Last Page

478

WOS Identifier

WOS:000260904800007

ISSN

0894-9867

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