Abstract
A review of theories of traumatic neurosis or posttraumatic stress disorder reveals a relative neglect of the role of posttraumatic imagery. The broad range of imagery has not been recognized, nor its role in the disorder adequately formulated. A two-dimensional framework for understanding posttraumatic stress disorder based on 1) repetitions of trauma-related images, affects, somatic states, and actions and 2) defensive functioning puts into perspective the centrality of traumatic imagery, implies a reorganization of DSM-III criteria, points to new directions for research, and clarifies diagnostic and clinical confusion.
Keywords
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1985
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 142
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 417-424
- Citations
- 195
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
ELIZABETH A. BRETT,
Robert Ostroff
(1985).
Imagery and posttraumatic stress disorder: an overview.
American Journal of Psychiatry
, 142
(4)
, 417-424.
https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.142.4.417
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1176/ajp.142.4.417