Abnormal Psychology

322 CHAPTER 7

Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Treatments for PTSD target neurological, psychological, and social factors; as usual,

when a treatment is successful, changes in one factor affect the other factors. Pa-

tients may obtain treatment that specifi cally targets only one type of factor or more

comprehensive treatment that targets two or even all three types of factors.

7.17 • Feedback Loops in Action: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Figure 7.17g77

Brain Systems

Mental Processes and

Mental Contents

Stressful Life Events Family

Gender/Culture

Frontal lobes

Hippocampus

Amygdala

Locus coeruleus

Genetics

Inherited tendency to seek

out situations that may have

a higher likelihood of trauma

Dissociation during

trauma

Beliefs that one is unable

to control stressors and

that the world is a

dangerous place

Cognitive bias to

exaggerate the probability

and consequences of

future negative events

Low IQ

Behavior

Conditioned emotional

response to stimuli

associated with trauma

Negative reinforcement

of avoidance and

substance use

Affect

Anxiety

Fear

Socioeconomic stress

Lack of social support

No known major

contribution

Cultural influences on

symptom expression

NeuroPsychoSocial

NeuroPsychoSocial NeuroPsychoSocial

Neural Communication

Norepinephrine

Serotonin

Cortisol