POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER (PTSD) SYMPTOMS IN PTSD PATIENTS FAMILIES OF ORIGIN

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, psychiatric controls, a nd hospital employee controls rated their father, mother, and oldest s ibling of each sex on 14 PTSD Interview (PTSD-I) symptom ratings. The stress disorder patients assigned their relatives significantly higher PTSD-I ratings than the control group members did in 35 of 120 compar isons. The number of significant differences was nearly identical in t he fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers. Differences were particula rly frequent on items pertaining to intrusive thoughts, impoverished r elationships, and guilt. The results suggest that a trauma survivor's risk for PTSD may be related to his family's history for PTSD-like beh aviors.