Posttraumatic stress disorder in older adults: a conceptual review

Abstract

Issues that are salient in understanding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in older adults are examined in this review. Although this issue has received scattered attention in the literature since introduction of the diagnosis of PTSD to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) in 1980, it is clear that numerous conceptual and defining questions exist in our understanding of the aftermath of trauma exposure in older adults. In approaching this issue, studies pertaining to diagnostic status as well as broader dimensions of psychosocial functioning are examined. Concerns that are unique to older adults are highlighted throughout, with particular attention to areas where additional research is warranted.