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Abstract

Immediately following exposure to high-magnitude, life-threatening Stressors (i.e., a traumatic event), most people develop an acute stress response that might include symptoms of arousal, anxiety, sadness, grief, agitation, irritability, sleep disturbance, and a host of psychophysiologic complaints (e.g., headaches, pains, stomach problems). For many individuals these symptoms remit over the days, weeks, and months that follow. In a sizeable minority of cases, individuals who are exposed to a traumatic event can develop a more persistent set of psychological symptoms now known as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Keane, T.M., Fisher, L.M., Krinsley, K.E., Niles, B.L. (1994). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. In: Hersen, M., Ammerman, R.T. (eds) Handbook of Prescriptive Treatments for Adults. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1456-9_12

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