TYPE OF TRAUMA, SEVERITY OF POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER CORE SYMPTOMS, AND ASSOCIATED FEATURES

Sixty-six persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exposed to battlefield experience, civilian terrorism, and work and traffic acci dents were studied to assess the differential outcome of the various t ypes of trauma as measured by PTSD core symptoms and associated featur es of depression, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, and somatization . The participants were assessed on a PTSD scale, Impact of Events Sca le, and four Symptom Check List subscales. The results showed that the battle-experience group was more severely affected than the other gro ups. Time elapsed since the trauma was significantly positively correl ated to PTSD core sypmtoms and associated features. Only the time elap sed since the trauma-not the division into type of trauma groups-was s ignificantly correlated with severity. Education and army rank were fo und to be protecting variables.