Peritraumatic dissociation, acute stress, and early posttraumatic stress disorder in victims of general crime

Objective: To compare the relation between peritraumatic dissociation and acute stress and the early development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in victims of general crime. Method. A total of 48 subjects were assessed within 24 hours of the trauma, using the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire Self-Report Version (PDEQ-SRV). They were followed longitudinally to assess acute stress (2 weeks after the assault) using the Standford, Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ), and posttraumatic stress (at 5 weeks), using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Results: Among PTSD subjects mean PDEQ scores were significantly higher (mean 3, SD 0.9) than in those without PTSD (mean 2.3, SD 0.7) (t = 2.78, df 46, P = 0.007). Among PTSD subjects, mean SASRQ scores were significantly higher (mean 97.9, SD 29.2) than in those without PTSD (mean 54.8, SD 28.2) (t = 4.9, df 46, P = 0.00007). Conclusions: High levels of peritraumatic dissociation and acute stress following violent assault are risk factors for early PTSD. Identifying acute reexperiencing can help the clinician identify subjects at highest risk.