Posttraumatic Stress

The mental health diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) disproportionately affects LGBTQ individuals, who experience elevated rates of trauma due to discrimination, victimization, and oppression. Despite the fact that relatively few research studies directly address PTSD and related conditions among LGBTQ populations, a number of specific stressors that may result in PTSD are discussed in this entry.

Defining Posttraumatic Stress

The diagnostic category of PTSD is a relatively recent one in the psychiatric literature, having been first codified in 1980 with the publication of the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). It is a relatively unique diagnosis in that, in contrast to other well-known disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, or eating disorders, the proximal cause of the disorder (the trauma or ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles