One important aspect was that research findings suggested that PTSD was more common than was thought to be the case when the DSM-III diagnostic criteria were formulated. (Friedman, 2007, para.3) the DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD further extends the formalization of criteria as well as the methodological consistency for PTSD and now includes six main criteria. The first of these criteria qualifies the meaning of trauma. A traumatic event is defined as "…one in which: (a) the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event that involved actual or perceived threat to life or physical integrity; and (b) the person's emotional response to this event included horror, helplessness, or intense fear." (Foa & Meadows, 1997. p449) This also relates to the psychological symptoms which are categorized into three main groupings; namely the re-experiencing of symptoms, such as nightmares and flashbacks; secondly symptoms of avoidance of trauma and related stimuli and...
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