In This Issue

Feature Topic

Assessment: Is it PTSD?

Sometimes the signs are obvious. Sometimes they're not so easy to see. Hear Veterans talk about "How I knew I had PTSD" in the AboutFace videos that show how treatment turned their lives around.

Following trauma almost everyone experiences some common reactions. If after the first few weeks your emotional reactions are getting in the way of your day-to-day life, talk to a counselor or your doctor.

Proper assessment is important because effective treatments for PTSD exist. Learn more:

• How is PTSD Measured?
• What Can I Do if I Think I Have PTSD?

VA's My HealtheVet offers a confidential questionnaire to screen for PTSD. A positive screen does not mean a person has PTSD. It means that a person should be assessed further by a mental health provider.

Revised PTSD Criteria

PTSD has not changed, but the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) has been updated to more clearly capture the disorder based on what we now know. Read about the Symptoms of PTSD.

New Mobile App

Concussion Coach is designed for people who have symptoms after a concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury. This self-help app may be more helpful when used along with professional treatment.

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For Providers

The National Center for PTSD provides comprehensive information on a variety of assessment measures used to evaluate trauma exposure and PTSD.

Obtain DSM-5 Validated Measures

The Center is working to revise and validate a number of DSM-5 PTSD assessments. Currently, these instruments have been updated:

• Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5), an in-depth interview known worldwide as the gold standard for PTSD assessment.
• PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a widely used PTSD self-report instrument.
• Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5), a self-report measure used to screen for potentially traumatic events.

Use the Assessment Request Form to obtain measures created by the Center.

Training in Assessment

Learn about the purpose of screening, tools for diagnosing PTSD, and the evaluation of comorbidities in these PTSD 101 courses:

• Practical PTSD Assessment
• Comprehensive PTSD Assessment

These courses will be updated for DSM-5 later this year. A course on the CAPS-5 is also under development.

Save the Dates

Stay tuned for From the War Zone to the Home Front: a free series of live, online trainings to support the mental health of Veterans and families. Free CE/CMEs will be offered.

Thursdays at 11:30 am-12:30 pm ET, March 20-May 22

Professionals Using Social Media

Do you Tweet? Then start following the National Center for PTSD @VA_PTSD_Info on Twitter today! Help us reach people who would benefit from PTSD tools and educational products.

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For VA Providers

2014 VA PTSD Consultation Program Lecture Series

Subscribe: Learn about our PTSD Lectures

VA staff, please sign up for VA Staff PTSD Updates to receive monthly notices that include a registration link and instructions for joining the live lectures.

Next Lecture in the Series

• 2 pm ET: 2/19 - Ariel Lang, PhD on Complementary and Alternative Approaches to PTSD Care

Mark your calendar for the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 2 pm ET.

Free PTSD consultation for anyone working with Veterans.
Call 866-948-7880 or
Email PTSDconsult@va.gov.

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Research at the Center

Mobile Apps

Results of the first evaluation of the PTSD Coach App are out! Read more about PTSD Mobile Apps:

• Preliminary Evaluation of PTSD Coach, a Smartphone App for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PDF)
• "PE Coach" Smartphone Application: An Innovative Approach to Improving Implementation, Fidelity, and Homework Adherence During Prolonged Exposure

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PTSD in the News

Herald Investigates: PTSD and Violence. Despite reports of combat veterans getting into shoot-outs with local police, posttraumatic stress shouldn't be blamed, experts say. Read more.*

The PTSD Crisis That's Being Ignored: Americans Wounded in Their Own Neighborhoods. Those who endure street violence in high-crime neighborhoods are prone to develop PTSD. Read more.*

Finding Simple Tests For Brain Disorders Turns Out To Be Complex. Learn about challenges in the search to find a biomarker for PTSD. Read more.*

Be sure to forward this update to others so they can subscribe. We send only one update per month to keep you informed of the latest PTSD developments.

Feature Topic next month: PTSD Provider Types and Careers

The Staff of VA’s National Center for PTSD

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