Key Terms:
Acute stress disorder: diagnosis is appropriate when symptoms appear within the first month after the
trauma and do not persist longer than four weeks
Adaptive disclosure: combat specific therapy for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder; eight
sessions designed to help identify unhelpful beliefs about the trauma and find ways to move forward
adjustment disorder: a group of symptoms, such as stress, feeling sad, or hopeless, and physical
symptoms that occur following the stressful life event; the reaction is stronger than would be expected
for the event that occurred
depersonalization: feelings of being disconnected from himself or herself; the client feels detached
from his or her behavior
derealization: client senses that events are not real, when, in fact, they are
disinhibited social engagement disorder: occurs before the age of five years in response to the trauma
of child abuse or neglect; the child with DSED exhibits unselective socialization, allowing or tolerating
social interaction with caregivers and strangers alike. They lack the hesitation in approaching or talking
to strangers evident in most children their age. Grossly deficient parenting and institutionalization are
the two most common situations leading to this disorder
dissociation: subconscious defense mechanism that helps a person protect his or her emotional self
from recognizing the full effects of some horrific or traumatic event by allowing the mind to forget or
remove itself from the painful situation or memory
dissociative disorders: these disorders have the essential feature of a disruption in the unusually
integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or environmental perception; they include
amnesia, fugue, and dissociative identity disorder
exposure therapy: behavioral technique that involves having the client deliberately confront the
situations and stimuli that he or she is trying to avoid
grounding techniques: helpful to use with a client who is dissociating or experiencing a flashback;
grounding techniques remind the client that he or she is in the present, as an adult, and is safe
hyperarousal: symptoms that arise from high levels of anxiety, including insomnia, irritability, anger
outbursts, watchfulness, suspiciousness, and just distrustfulness. Often seen with PTSD.
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a disturbing pattern of behavior demonstrated by someone who
has experienced a traumatic event; for example, a natural disaster, combat, or an assault; begins three
or more months following the trauma
reactive attachment disorder (RAD): occurs before the age of five years in response to the trauma of
child abuse or neglect; the child with rad exhibits minimal social and emotional responses to others,
lack a positive affect, and maybe sad, irritable, or afraid for no apparent reason.
repressed memories: memories better buried deeply in the subconscious mind or repressed because
theyre too painful for the victim to knowledge; often relate to childhood abuse
Survivor: View of the client as a survivor of trauma or abuse rather than as a victim; helps to refocus
clients view of himself or herself as being strong enough to survive the ordeal, which is a more
empowering image than seeing oneself as a victim
Learning Objectives: