Abstract
Recent professional publications show that the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be subject to abuse in forensic settings. Now, pulp fiction portrayals of PTSD and reports in the press also reflect how this relatively new diagnostic category can be abused. This trivialization of PTSD has implications for real survivors of truly traumatic events.
Footnotes
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Dr. Rosen is a clinical psychologist in private practice and is affiliated with the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Issues discussed in this article were presented at the 1995 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Seattle, WA.
- Copyright © 1996, The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
