Assessment - Trauma Exposure and PTSD

The documents listed below are Fact Sheets that give an overview of assessment information for Mental Health Care Providers.

For further information about individual Assessment Instruments and Videos, please visit the Assessment Section.

Also see information on the PILOTS database for further suggestions on how to access assessment information.

Assessment Overview Fact Sheets:

• PTSD: An Overview
  Describes in detail the history of PTSD, the PTSD diagnosis, and the criteria needed to meet a diagnosis of PTSD.
  
• Epidemiological Facts about PTSD
  How common is PTSD in the U.S.? What are the most common types of trauma? Description of the characteristics of those with PTSD, including vets.
  
• Forensic Validity of a PTSD Diagnosis
  Discusses the four elements of a PTSD diagnosis that must be met to establish a legitimate case of PTSD.
  
• The Returning Veteran of the Iraq War: Background Issues and Assessment Guidelines
  From the Iraq War Clinician Guide. Clinical information is presented on the types of war-zone stressors veterans of the Iraq War will have encountered. Discusses comprehensive assessment and the symptoms which are assessed.
  
• DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD
  This page contains information about the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
  
• Comparison of the ICD-10 PTSD Diagnosis with the DSM-IV Criteria
  This fact sheet compares different diagnostic criteria for PTSD.
  
• The Experience of Chronic Pain and PTSD: A Guide for Health Care Providers
  Discusses chronic pain and how it may be related to trauma and PTSD. Includes recommendations for health care providers on handling chronic pain and assessing for trauma.
  
• FAQs About PTSD Assessment: For Professionals
  This fact sheet provides professionals with answers to their frequently asked questions about assessment. See also our Assessment Section.
  
• Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD
  Background information about traumatic brain injury and how it relates to PTSD. Implications for diagnosis and treatment.