Clinical assessment for post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an increasingly fashionable diagnosis used to describe an individual who experiences psychological problems following his/her involvement in a traumatic event. However, PTSD can prove difficult to assess accurately owing to the unique problems of co-morbidity with other psychological disorders or the late onset of symptoms. Paradoxically, PTSD may be misdiagnosed by a healthcare professional which may result in inappropriate therapeutic intervention. This article introduces a simple five-stage assessment that is designed to help the clinician determine whether the client's distress is caused by PTSD or another disorder. These guidelines are structured and explore the five stages of PTSD assessment: collecting background information; initial contact with the client; correctly identifying the problem; general assessment; and summary. Finally, some recommended structured clinical assessment guidelines and psychometric rating scales are outlined.