Author : Melissa Ann Jenkins
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (318 download)
Book Synopsis Attentional and Memory Dysfunction Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Rape Survivors by : Melissa Ann Jenkins
Download or read book Attentional and Memory Dysfunction Associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Rape Survivors written by Melissa Ann Jenkins and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) consists of intrusive, avoidant, and arousal symptoms and is characterized by decreased concentration and memory. Our conceptualization of PTSD is based largely on studies of combat veterans, a small percentage of all PTSD sufferers. This study examined psychological symptoms and neuropsychological functioning among rape survivors with PTSD (PTSD+; N = 15), rape survivors without PTSD (PTSD-, N = 16) and among age- and education-matched nontraumatized control subjects (CTRL; N = 16). PTSD+ subjects met diagnostic criteria as defined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID); they reported increased anxiety, depression, agitation, and derealization symptoms on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). They also scored higher than control subjects on somatization, obsessive-compulsive, and depressive subscales of the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90). Various aspects of attention and memory were assessed quantitatively as follows: (1) vigilance for visual stimuli using the Continuous Performance Test (CPT); (2) sustained attention and concentration using the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT); (3) freedom from distractibility and immediate memory in both auditory and visual modalities using the Digit Span and Digit Symbol subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R); (4) shifting of selective attention using Posner's visual target detection task; (5) memory using the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). The data were analyzed for main effects using ANOVA and, when justified, specific group differences were assessed using a Tukey post-hoc procedure. The PTSD+ group performed significantly worse than the control groups on the CPT (p = 0.006), PASAT (p = 0.000), WAIS-R Digit Span (p = 0.004) and Digit Symbol (p = 0.000) subtests, and on the List Acquisition (p = 0.006) and Delayed Recall (p = 0.003) portions of the CVLT. These neuropsychological findings in rape survivors with PTSD are remarkably similar to those seen in combat veterans, a group characterized by decreased sustained attention, but not selective attention as well as decreased performance on memory tasks. PTSD, but not depressive, symptom severity was highly correlated with reduced attention and memory functioning. Implications for conceptualization, research and treatment of PTSD are discussed.