Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T12:50:56.374Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Severe Head Injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

T. M. McMillan
T. M. McMillan*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, Wolfson Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Atkinson Morley's Hospital, Copse Hill, London SW20 0NE
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is described following a road traffic accident in which the patient suffered a severe head injury. The stress reaction was associated with intrusive thoughts and avoidance of cognitive and physical events associated with consequences of the accident. The condition was successfuly treated by behavioural intervention. It seems clear that PTSD can occur even where there is loss of consciousness and organic amnesia for the event and its immediate sequelae.

Type
Brief Reports
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 159 , Issue 3 , September 1991 , pp. 431 - 433
Copyright
Copyright © 1991 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn) (DSM—III—R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Crovitz, H. F. (1987) Techniques to investigate post-traumatic and retrograde amnesia after head injury. In Neurobehavioural Recovery from Head Injury (eds Levin, H. S., Grafman, J. & Eisenberg, H. M.), pp. 330–340. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Davidoff, D. A., Laibstain, D. F., Kessler, H. R., et al (1988) A consideration of post-concussive syndrome versus posttraumatic stress disorder. Cognitive Rehabilitation, 6, 8—13.Google Scholar
Fairbank, R. J., De Good, D. E. & Jenkins, C. W. (1981) Behavioural treatment of a persistent post traumatic startle response. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 12, 321—324.Google Scholar
Gist, R. & Lubin, B. (1989) Psychosocial Aspects of Disaster. New York: Wiley & Co.Google Scholar
Horowitz, M., Wilner, N. & Alvarez, W. (1979) Impact of event scale: a measure of subjective stress. Psychosomatic Medicine, 41, 209—218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keane, T. M. & Kaloupek, D. G. (1982) Imaginal flooding in the treatment of a post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 138—140.Google Scholar
Lishman, W. A. (1988) Physiogenesis and psychogenesis in the post concussional syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 460—469.Google Scholar
McCaffrey, R. J. & Fairbank, J. A. (1985) Behavioural assessment and treatment of accident related post-traumatic stress disorder: two case studies. Behaviour Therapy, 16, 406—416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russell, W. R. & Smith, A. (1961) Post traumatic amnesia in closed head injury. Archives of Neurology, 5, 16—29.Google Scholar
Yule, W. & Williams, R. M. (1990) Post traumatic stress reactions in children. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3, 279—295.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.