Being a Facebook moderator=criterion A trauma?

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Thoughts about whether or not this would qualify under Criterion A for PTSD? I’m on the fence.


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If they’re exposed to details of a traumatic event through the job (which I understand they see some stuff).
 
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So as much as I am a stickler against Criterion A creep, by the DSM-5 I think this would technically qualify.

  • Note: Criterion A4 does not apply to exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless this exposure is work related.

If it's this person's actual job, then electronic media exposure would qualify.
 
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So as much as I am a stickler against Criterion A creep, by the DSM-5 I think this would technically qualify.



If it's this person's actual job, then electronic media exposure would qualify.

Where's McNally when we need him to rail against criterion creep? ;)
 
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Agreed, the exposure criteria is super vague so I’d probably try to be even more thorough on establishing a timeline and frequency/intensity of behavioral and emotional changes that’s directly attributable to trauma exposure (versus other MH and psychosocial factors).

The vast majority of people exposed to traumatic things don’t develop PTSD (I feel like I’ve heard numbers like 80% thrown around?), even if they find themselves troubled in various by that experience and those memories.
 
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Agreed, the exposure criteria is super vague so I’d probably try to be even more thorough on establishing a timeline and frequency/intensity of behavioral and emotional changes that’s directly attributable to trauma exposure (versus other MH and psychosocial factors).

The vast majority of people exposed to traumatic things don’t develop PTSD (I feel like I’ve heard numbers like 80% thrown around?), even if they find themselves troubled in various by that experience and those memories.

Needs context. For example, we know that different trauma types will lead to different rates of PTSD, like assaultive violence being a particularly high risk factor for PTSD development.
 
Agreed, the exposure criteria is super vague so I’d probably try to be even more thorough on establishing a timeline and frequency/intensity of behavioral and emotional changes that’s directly attributable to trauma exposure (versus other MH and psychosocial factors).

The vast majority of people exposed to traumatic things don’t develop PTSD (I feel like I’ve heard numbers like 80% thrown around?), even if they find themselves troubled in various by that experience and those memories.

As WisNeuro mentioned, there are different rates for different trauma types. For instance, with sexual assault it's actually more common to develop PTSD.

Also, those symptoms are only "normal" for a period of time--estimated recovery is 3 to 6 months. Any longer than that, and they may meet criteria for PTSD or at least Other specified trauma or stressor-related d/o.
 
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Thoughts about whether or not this would qualify under Criterion A for PTSD? I’m on the fence.


Ummm....maybe. But I would definitely take a meticulous approach to assessment/diagnosis with this as the Criterion A stressor in a case and carefully document my reasoning process. Bracket creep is real and as other psychologists have cogently observed...the wider the 'bracket' for Criterion A gets, the more that more general factors/causes (personality disorders, diatheses for mood disorders, etc.) come to the causal 'foreground' whilst putative 'traumatic incidents' recede into the causal 'background.'
 
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