Peritraumatic Distress and Dissociation in Prolonged Grief and Post-Traumatic Stress Following Violent and Unexpected Deaths

Abstract: This study examined associations between the violence of a loss and the suddenness of a loss and symptom levels of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the death of a loved one. A further aim was to investigate whether peritraumatic distress (i.e., fear, helplessness, and horror) and peritraumatic dissociation mediate the emotional impact of violent losses and unexpected losses. We obtained self-reported data from 265 individuals bereaved in the previous 3 years by losses due to violent causes (17%) or illness (83%).

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Optimism in prolonged grief and depression following loss: A three-wave longitudinal study

Abstract: There is considerable evidence that optimism, the predisposition to have generalized favorable expectancies for the future, is associated with numerous desirable outcomes. Few studies have examined the association of optimism with emotional distress following the death of a loved one. Doing so is important, because optimism may be an important target for interventions for post-loss psychopathology.

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Internet-based exposure and behavioral activation for complicated grief and rumination: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract: This study examined the effectiveness and feasibility of therapist-guided Internet-delivered exposure (EX) and behavioral activation (BA) for complicated grief and rumination. Forty-seven bereaved individuals with elevated levels of complicated grief and grief rumination were randomly assigned to three conditions: EX (N = 18), BA (N = 17), or a waiting-list (N = 12). Treatment groups received 6 homework assignments over 6 to 8 weeks.

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Association of Childhood Complex Trauma and Dissociation With Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Adulthood

This study replicates and extends prior research on the relationship of childhood complex trauma (CCT) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) in adulthood, examining the role of psychoform and somatoform dissociation as a potential mediator. CCT, dissociation, and cPTSD were assessed in a large sample of adult psychiatric inpatients. Almost two thirds of participants reported having experienced CCT. Path analyses with bootstrap confidence intervals demonstrated a relationship between CCT, psychoform (but not somatoform) dissociation, and cPTSD.

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Special issue: 'Trauma and PTSD: Setting the research agenda'

Trauma and PTSD: setting the research agenda Miranda Olff, Cherie Armour, Chris Brewin, Marylene Cloitre, Julian D. Ford, Jane Herlihy, Ruth Lanius, Rita Rosner, Ulrike Schmidt, Stuart Turner

Re-experiencing traumatic events in PTSD: new avenues in research on intrusive memories and flashbacks Chris R. Brewin

The underlying dimensionality of PTSD in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: where are we going? Cherie Armour

A plea for symptom-based research in psychiatry Ulrike Schmidt

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Complex PTSD: research directions for nosology/ assessment, treatment, and public health

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) in children and adolescents extends beyond the core PTSD symptoms to dysregulation in three psychobiological domains: (1) emotion processing, (2) self-organization (including bodily integrity), and (3) relational functioning.

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Biological correlates of complex posttraumatic stress disorder*state of research and future directions

Abstract

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From shell shock to PTSD: proof of war’s traumatic history

2015 marks several important First World War anniversaries: the centenary of the first use of poison gas in January; the centenary of the Gallipoli landings and the Armenian genocide in April. It is also 100 years since The Lancet published Charles S. Myers’ article, A Contribution to the Study of Shell Shock.

The study of shell shock

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Diagnosing and Treating Complex Trauma

The book introduces a layered model for diagnosing and treating complex trauma in four parts. Part One introduces the concept of complex trauma, its historical development and the various theories about trauma. The authors introduce a layered model that describes the symptoms of complex trauma, and conclude with a discussion on the three-phase model.
Part Two describes the diagnostic options available that make use of a layered model of complex trauma.

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Descendants of Holocaust Survivors Have Altered Stress Hormones

A person's experience as a child or teenager can have a profound impact on their future children's lives, new work is showing.

Rachel Yehuda, a researcher in the growing field of epigenetics and the intergenerational effects of trauma, and her colleagues have long studied mass trauma survivors and their offspring. Their latest results reveal that descendants of people who survived the Holocaust have different stress hormone profiles than their peers, perhaps predisposing them to anxiety disorders.

 

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