Acute dissociative reaction in veterans with PTSD

This study examined the prevalence of acute dissociative(reactions to a recent stressful event among 102 male Vietnam veteran: seeking help for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at a Veterans Affairs treatment center. Prior to treatment, patients completed a battery of questionnaires, including the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire to assess acute dissociative experiences in reaction to a recent stressful event. Most (80%) combat veterans reported experiencing five acute dissociative symptoms in the previous month in reaction to this event. These symptoms were positively associated with being African American or Hispanic/Latino, having been physically abused in childhood, choosing a combat-related intrusion experience as the most stressful recent event, combat-related traumatic stress symptoms, and having service connected disability. These results have both theoretical and clinical implications.