Which disorder involves symptoms lasting more than one month after exposure to trauma?

Prepare for the EPPP Abnormal Psychology Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

The correct choice, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is characterized by a range of symptoms that persist for more than one month following exposure to a traumatic event. This condition may develop after witnessing or experiencing events such as serious accidents, violent assaults, natural disasters, and other life-threatening scenarios.

In PTSD, symptoms can include intrusive memories, flashbacks, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and heightened arousal (such as irritability and hypervigilance). These symptoms disrupt an individual's daily functioning and can continue for months or even years if not treated.

In contrast, Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) also arises in response to trauma but is diagnosed when symptoms occur within three days to one month after the traumatic event. If symptoms last beyond a month, a diagnosis of PTSD is appropriate.

Somatic Symptom Disorder and Conversion Disorder are not directly related to the timeframe following trauma. Somatic Symptom Disorder involves experiencing physical symptoms that cause significant distress or impairment but are not directly attributable to another medical condition. Conversion Disorder presents neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical conditions but does not have a specific time-related criterion tied to trauma exposure.

Hence, PTSD is defined specifically by its symptoms lasting longer than one

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