Interpersonal violence against women is endemic in our society. Thus, it is estimated that 14% to 20% of women will experience rape at some point in their lives; that 25% to 28% will be physically abused in a sexual-romantic relationship; and that 8% to 24% will be stalked by someone they know or by a stranger. When these statistics are added to the 25% to 35% likelihood that the average adult woman has been sexually abused as a child, it is clear that the epidemiology of interpersonal violence against women is a pressing social issue (Briere & Jordan, 2004). Equally concerning is the association between these various forms of victimization and mental health issues in women. Female survivors of sexual trauma are vulnerable to a wide range of
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Currently, these symptoms are typically subsumed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; APA, 2013) categories of PTSD or Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), and are often easily linked to specific victimization experiences by virtue of their temporal proximity to the assault. This diagnostic concept of PTSD was first introduced into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual – Third Edition (DSM-III) in the mid-l970s, representing a major step forward in our definition and understanding of psychological conditions. Since then, various modifications have been introduced; including ASD and Complex PTSD or Disorders of Extreme Stress, Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS), in order to more precisely identify etiological issues and target early, effective interventions. (Luxenberg et al., 2001) Complex PTSD is a less event-specific victimization syndrome suggested by Herman (1992) and this syndrome is also referred to as DESNOS (Pelcovitz et al., 1997) when certain specific quasi-diagnostic criteria are met. A central contribution of these syndrome designations has been their emphasis on the potential complexity of post victimization responses, suggesting that the effects of rape, for example, may involve a variety of symptoms beyond solely depression, anxiety, or …show more content…
PTSD is no longer classified as an anxiety disorder, but instead falls under a new chapter, “Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders.” Researchers and practitioners must be aware of how the changes in classifying the disorder will affect assessment. Plans to transition to measures reflecting the DSM-5 criterion of PTSD should occur for best practices, though it may take some time for a system to accommodate and reflect these changes. According to the National Center for PTSD, the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the PTSD Checklist (PCL) and the Life Events Checklist (LEC) have been updated to include DSM-5 criteria for PTSD while the Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD) is currently undergoing revision and validation. It is anticipated that researchers will continue to evaluate the adapted measures’ validity for several years to come (Rodríguez-Testal et al., 2014). In short, practitioners must be informed on the most current developments when identifying and treating sexual
Currently, these symptoms are typically subsumed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; APA, 2013) categories of PTSD or Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), and are often easily linked to specific victimization experiences by virtue of their temporal proximity to the assault. This diagnostic concept of PTSD was first introduced into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual – Third Edition (DSM-III) in the mid-l970s, representing a major step forward in our definition and understanding of psychological conditions. Since then, various modifications have been introduced; including ASD and Complex PTSD or Disorders of Extreme Stress, Not Otherwise Specified (DESNOS), in order to more precisely identify etiological issues and target early, effective interventions. (Luxenberg et al., 2001) Complex PTSD is a less event-specific victimization syndrome suggested by Herman (1992) and this syndrome is also referred to as DESNOS (Pelcovitz et al., 1997) when certain specific quasi-diagnostic criteria are met. A central contribution of these syndrome designations has been their emphasis on the potential complexity of post victimization responses, suggesting that the effects of rape, for example, may involve a variety of symptoms beyond solely depression, anxiety, or …show more content…
PTSD is no longer classified as an anxiety disorder, but instead falls under a new chapter, “Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders.” Researchers and practitioners must be aware of how the changes in classifying the disorder will affect assessment. Plans to transition to measures reflecting the DSM-5 criterion of PTSD should occur for best practices, though it may take some time for a system to accommodate and reflect these changes. According to the National Center for PTSD, the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the PTSD Checklist (PCL) and the Life Events Checklist (LEC) have been updated to include DSM-5 criteria for PTSD while the Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD) is currently undergoing revision and validation. It is anticipated that researchers will continue to evaluate the adapted measures’ validity for several years to come (Rodríguez-Testal et al., 2014). In short, practitioners must be informed on the most current developments when identifying and treating sexual