PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder, Adjustment
Disorder ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
PTSD - Correct answers✔a condition marked by the development of symptoms after exposure
to traumatic life events
-the person reacts to this experience with fear and helplessness, persistently relives the event, and
tries to avoid being reminded of it
-symptoms must last for more than a month after the event and significantly affect important
areas of life, such as family and work
PTSD etiology - Correct answers✔the stressor is the prime causative factor in the development
-unpredictable
PTSD risk factors - Correct answers✔2/3 of pts have another mental health disorder
-common co-morbid conditions include depressive disorders, substance abuse disorders, anxiety
disorders, and bipolar disorder
PTSD epidemiology - Correct answers✔lifetime incidence is 9/15%
-in women, its 10/12% and men 5/6%
-more prevalent in young adults
PTSD S/S - Correct answers✔-panic attacks, illusions, hallucinations, aggression
-violence, poor impulse control, depression, substance abuse
-cognitive testing may reveal impaired memory and attention
PTSD differential diagnosis - Correct answers✔-epilepsy, alcohol use disorders, substance
abuse disorders, panic disorder, GAD, MDD
-borderline personality disorder, dissociative disorder, factitious disorder
PTSD diagnosis - Correct answers✔exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or
sexual violence in 1 or more of the following ways :
-directly experiencing the traumatic event
, -
witnessing (in person) the event as it occurred to others
-learning that the traumatic event occurred to a close family member or close friend, in cases of
actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event must have been violent or
accidental
-experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event
PTSD treatment - Correct answers✔-pharmacotherapy (SSRIs first line, can use anxiolytics or
mood stabilizers)
-psychotherapy
PTSD prognosis - Correct answers✔-untreated, about 30% of pts recover completely, 40%
continue to have mild symptoms, 10% remain unchanged or get worse
-after 1 year, about 50% of pts will recover
-a good prognosis is predicted by rapid onset of the symptoms, short duration (< 6 months), good
pre-morbid functioning, strong social support, the absence of other psychiatric, medical, or
substance abuse disorders acute stress disorder - Correct answers✔similar to PTSD, but occurs
earlier
-within 4 weeks of the event and remits within 2 days - 4 weeks -if
symptoms persist beyond that time, a diagnosis of PTSD is made
acute stress disorder risk factors - Correct answers✔-a stressor that would sufficiently
overwhelming to almost everyone
-experiences include war, torture, natural catastrophes, assault, rape, serious accidents
acute stress disorder diagnosis - Correct answers✔exposure to actual or threatened death,
serious injury, or sexual violation in 1 or more of the following ways :
-directly experiencing the traumatic event
-witnessing (in person) the event as it occurred to others
-learning that the event occurred to a close family member or close friend
-experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to adverse details of the traumatic event
-presence of 9+ of the following categories : intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance,
arousal
Disorder ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
PTSD - Correct answers✔a condition marked by the development of symptoms after exposure
to traumatic life events
-the person reacts to this experience with fear and helplessness, persistently relives the event, and
tries to avoid being reminded of it
-symptoms must last for more than a month after the event and significantly affect important
areas of life, such as family and work
PTSD etiology - Correct answers✔the stressor is the prime causative factor in the development
-unpredictable
PTSD risk factors - Correct answers✔2/3 of pts have another mental health disorder
-common co-morbid conditions include depressive disorders, substance abuse disorders, anxiety
disorders, and bipolar disorder
PTSD epidemiology - Correct answers✔lifetime incidence is 9/15%
-in women, its 10/12% and men 5/6%
-more prevalent in young adults
PTSD S/S - Correct answers✔-panic attacks, illusions, hallucinations, aggression
-violence, poor impulse control, depression, substance abuse
-cognitive testing may reveal impaired memory and attention
PTSD differential diagnosis - Correct answers✔-epilepsy, alcohol use disorders, substance
abuse disorders, panic disorder, GAD, MDD
-borderline personality disorder, dissociative disorder, factitious disorder
PTSD diagnosis - Correct answers✔exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or
sexual violence in 1 or more of the following ways :
-directly experiencing the traumatic event
, -
witnessing (in person) the event as it occurred to others
-learning that the traumatic event occurred to a close family member or close friend, in cases of
actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event must have been violent or
accidental
-experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event
PTSD treatment - Correct answers✔-pharmacotherapy (SSRIs first line, can use anxiolytics or
mood stabilizers)
-psychotherapy
PTSD prognosis - Correct answers✔-untreated, about 30% of pts recover completely, 40%
continue to have mild symptoms, 10% remain unchanged or get worse
-after 1 year, about 50% of pts will recover
-a good prognosis is predicted by rapid onset of the symptoms, short duration (< 6 months), good
pre-morbid functioning, strong social support, the absence of other psychiatric, medical, or
substance abuse disorders acute stress disorder - Correct answers✔similar to PTSD, but occurs
earlier
-within 4 weeks of the event and remits within 2 days - 4 weeks -if
symptoms persist beyond that time, a diagnosis of PTSD is made
acute stress disorder risk factors - Correct answers✔-a stressor that would sufficiently
overwhelming to almost everyone
-experiences include war, torture, natural catastrophes, assault, rape, serious accidents
acute stress disorder diagnosis - Correct answers✔exposure to actual or threatened death,
serious injury, or sexual violation in 1 or more of the following ways :
-directly experiencing the traumatic event
-witnessing (in person) the event as it occurred to others
-learning that the event occurred to a close family member or close friend
-experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to adverse details of the traumatic event
-presence of 9+ of the following categories : intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance,
arousal
