ACUTE STRESS DISORDER AS A PREDICTOR OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS

Objective: Using the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for acute stress disor der, the authors examined whether the acute psychological effects of b eing a bystander to violence involving mass shootings in an office bui lding predicted later posttraumatic stress symptoms. Method: The parti cipants in this study were 36 employees working in an office building where a gunman shot 14 persons (eight fatally). The acute stress sympt oms were assessed within 8 days of the event, and posttraumatic stress symptoms of 32 employees were assessed 7 to 10 months later. Results: According to the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, 12 (33 %) of the employees met criteria for the diagnosis of acute stress dis order. Acute stress symptoms were found to be an excellent predictor o f the subjects' posttraumatic stress symptoms 7-10 months after the tr aumatic event. Conclusions: These results suggest not only that being a bystander to violence is highly stressful in the shout run, but that acute stress reactions to such an event further predict later posttra umatic stress symptoms.