Prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Traumatic events are common, but the psychological distress that may follow usually subsides naturally. For some individuals, distress develops into posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD lends itself to the application of prevention strategies for at-risk individuals. The identification of a causal event may make prevention efforts for PTSD more feasible and effective than for other psychological disorders. For PTSD, these efforts target those traumatized persons who are beginning to exhibit symptoms of PTSD. These interventions could also target individuals meeting criteria for acute stress disorder with the goal of preventing chronic PTSD.