Assignment : Course Project Part I: Interview and Background Research

Refer to the Course Project Overview in Module 1. Early in the course, you have selected a specific disorder. Research it using your textbook and Argosy University online library resources.

A minimum of 5 sources in addition to your text book should be used. At least three of those sources should be peer-reviewed journal articles.

The remaining 2 sources may be books, journal articles, or reputable web sites (like those from professional organizations or governmental agencies, not Wikipedia or similar sites).

Review the rubric, as it provides detailed instructions on how best to succeed on this assignment. In the rubric, you will find that you need to address the following in a paper:

Description of the selected disorder (Identify the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic category for the disorder and distinguish between diagnostic and commonly used terminology.)

Causative factors of the disorder

Diagnosis of the disorder

Treatment of the disorder

Survey of current research on the disorder

Write a 4-5-page paper in Word format. Remember to use the rubric as you write your paper. Apply APA standards to citation of sources, and include an APA style title/cover page and reference page.

Working ahead Using the feedback provided to you by your peers and instructors, finalize your interview questions and conduct the interview with a mental health professional in preparation for the paper due in Module 5.

The topic I chose for my course project is "PTSD" which stands for posttraumatic stress disorder. My focus will be as it relates to the military.

This disorder is very important and to me because I am a combat marine with PTSD and the veterans that I will be working with through my non-profit suffer from the same disorder. I have referenced some statistics.

One statistic that is not mentioned that is just arisen is a very saddening one, is the new dilemma of suicide on the battlefield. Research is showing that recently our military is losing more troops to suicide on the battlefield then they are in actual battles firefights.

The Ten questions for my health profession are:

1. What are the accepted diagnostic criteria for PTSD?

2. What would an evidence-based criteria set for diagnosis of PTSD include?

3. What constitutes a stressor?

4. How should stressful events be diagnosed and documented?

5. How can and should a patient document a stressful event?

6. What are the components of an evidence-based diagnosis of PTSD?

7. What would diagnostic criteria be, based on best evidence, either based on or apart from official standards?

8. What constitutes optimal evaluation of a patient for PTSD?

9. What neuropsychological evaluation or other testing should be included in an optimal evaluation of a patient for PTSD?

10. What are useful biomarkers?

PTSD and the Military

If you are in the military, you may have seen combat. You may have been on missions that exposed you to horrible and life-threatening experiences. You may have been shot at, seen a buddy shot, or seen death. These are types of events that can lead to PTSD.

Experts think PTSD occurs:

In about 11-20% of Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom), or in 11-20 Veterans out of 100.

In as many as 10% of Gulf War (Desert Storm) Veterans, or in 10 Veterans out of 100.

In about 30% of Vietnam Veterans, or about 30 out of 100 Vietnam Veterans.

Other factors in a combat situation can add more stress to an already stressful situation. This may contribute to PTSD and other mental health problems. These factors include what you do in the war, the politics around the war, where it's fought, and the type of enemy you face.

Another cause of PTSD in the military can be military sexual trauma (MST). This is any sexual harassment or sexual assault that occurs while you are in the military. MST can happen to both men and women and can occur during peacetime, training, or war.

Among Veterans using VA health care, about:

23 out of 100 women (23%) reported sexual assault when in the military.

55 out of 100 women (55%) and 38 out of 100 men (38%) have experienced sexual harassment when in the military.

Even though military sexual trauma is far more common in women Veterans, over half of all Veterans with military sexual trauma are men. This is because there are many more male Veterans than there are females.

Sources

Kessler, R.C., Sonnega, A., Bromet, E. Hughes, M., & Nelson, C.B. (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 52(12), 1048-1060.Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., & Walters, E. E. (2005a). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 593-602.

Kulka, R.A., Schlenger, W.E., Fairbank, J.A. Hough, R.L., Jordan, B.K., Marmar, C.R., & Weiss, D.S. (1990). Trauma and the Vietnam War Generation: Report of Findings from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, New York: Brunner/Mazel.

Tanielian, T. & Jaycox, L. (Eds.)(2008). Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation.