The importance of the DSM-IV E and F criteria in self-report assessments of PTSD.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the DSM-IV E and F criteria when using self-report measures of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to DSM-IV there are six core criteria required for a PTSD diagnosis including specific trauma characteristics, re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, duration, and impairment level. The Impact of Events Scale (IES) is a widely used self-report measure designed to measure PTSD symptoms.

PTSD symptoms and dominant emotional response to a traumatic event:an examination of DSM-IV Criterion A2.

To qualify for a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) requires that individuals report experiencing dominant emotions of fear, helplessness, and horror during the trauma (Criterion A2). Despite this stipulation, traumatic events can elicit a myriad of emotions other than fear, such as anger, guilt or shame, sadness, and numbing. The present study examined which emotional reactions to a stressful event in a college student sample are associated with the highest levels of PTSD symptoms.