Duration of Exposure and the Dose-Response Model of PTSD

• NCJ Number: 237799
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2010 Pages: 63-74
• Author(s): Debra Kaysen; Gerald Rosen; Marilyn Bowman; Patricia A. Resick
• Date Published: January 2010
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01-MH-46992; F32-AA-014728
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the duration of exposure for a single incident traumatic event.

Abstract

A dose-response model underlies posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posits a relationship between event magnitude and clinical outcome. The present study examines whether one index of event magnitudeduration of exposurecontributes to risk of PTSD among female victims of sexual assault. Findings support a small but significant contribution of event duration to clinical status in the immediate aftermath of trauma but not at 3-month follow-up. The opposite pattern is obtained for subjective appraisals of threat. These findings add to a growing literature that suggests that a simple application of the dose-response model to objective event characteristics may be insufficient to explain the risk of PTSD. (Published Abstract)