The Assessment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder for Workers' Compensation in Emergency Service Personnel

There is considerable debate concerning the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in compensation claims. This study reviewed the quality of the assessment reports prepared by clinicians who evaluated 31 emergency service workers making PTSD-related compensation claims. Assessments were conducted by 4-year trained psychologists (39%), psychologists holding a masters degree (36%), and psychiatrists (19%). The assessment reports were evaluated relative to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (2000). In the majority of cases (81%), the assessor determined that the emergency service worker had PTSD, but only one report met the minimum standard for that diagnosis. In the majority (65%) of cases the clinician failed to address the possibility of malingering. These data suggest that clinical assessment reports for PTSD frequently fail to meet minimum assessment standards.