Does Acute Stress Predict PTSD?

The article “Acute stress disorder as a predictor of posttraumatic stress disorder: a systemic review” was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and was authored by R. A. Bryant.  The purpose of this study was to determine the ability to predict posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following an acute stress reaction.

Bryant used data from the PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases for studies between 1994 to 2009 involving acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.  Research was included that evaluated for acute stress disorder following 1 month of going through a traumatic event, and then were evaluated for PTSD.  Bryant collected 22 studies that met the criteria.

Bryant concluded that acute stress disorder fails to predict the majority of those who go on to develop PTSD.  Bryant does report a necessity to better describe acute stress reaction but not use it to try to predict PTSD.

from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (72(2): 233-9)