Selected Annotated Bibliography of Post Traumatic Stress
Figley, C. (Ed.). Trauma and Its Wake: Volume II: traumatic Stress Theory, Research, and Intervention. (1986). New York: Brunner/Mazel Publishers. A landmark book in Dr. Figley's series on stress. The text is organized into three sections: theory, research, and intervention. Among the chapters is Herndon and Law's discussions of a multi-method approach to treatment of Vietnam veterans with PTSD and their families.
Foa, E. B., Keane, T. M. & M. J. Friedman (Eds.). Effective Treatments for PTSD: Practice Guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (2000). New York: The Guilford Press.
A wonderful compendium of research, literature reviews and treatment guidelines including topics such as psychological debriefing, group therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, psychodynamic therapy, inpatient treatment, pharmacotherapy, EMDR, hypnosis and many other approaches.
Horowitz, M. J. Stress Response Syndromes: Personality Styles and Interventions. (2001). Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Inc. An excellent introduction to general approaches in the etiology and treatment of PTSD. The author is a pioneer in the field of traumatology and personality style. He discusses stress reactions in histrionic, compulsive, and narcissistic personalities. Clinical case studies of patients with limb loss, automobile accident, suicide of a parent and a friend are used to illustrate assessment and treatment issues.
Institute of Medicine. Gulf War and Health, Vol 6: Physiologic, Psychologic and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment-Related Stress. (2007). Washington, D. C. National Academic Press.
A very large and comprehensive review of 3000 peer reviewed publications on war stress and disease from World War II to the present day. An executive summary is available as a PDF document and may be obtained on the internet at the following address: www.nap.edu/
Kardiner, A. & Spiegel, H. War Stress and Neurotic Illness. (1947). New York: Paul B. Hoeber, Inc. This is a rewritten text which was originally titled The Traumatic Neuroses of War when published in 1941. This is truly a classic text based on the authors' experience in working with combat stress survivors of World War I (Dr. Kardiner) and World War II. It is of interest that the book illustrates a kind of amnesia by the psychiatric community of the lessons learned in the first world war and had to re learn those lessons to deal with psychiatric casualties of the second world war. Years later the same lessons were relearned and many are documented in Charles Figley's series of books.
Scaer, R. C. The Body Bears the Burden: Trauma, Dissociation, and Disease. (2001). Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press.
The author is a neurologist who recounts his years of treating patients with whiplash syndromes. The response of the nervous system in a fight flight mechanism is reviewed and he conceptualizes stress responses as being based on a "freeze" mechanism hard wired into our brains.
Scaer, R. C. The Trauma Spectrum: Hidden Wounds and Human Resiliency. (2005). New York: W. W. Norton.
A very informative discussion of brain mechanisms and traumatic experience. After conceptualizing trauma as imprisonment of the mind Dr. Scaer explicates the spectrum of disorders with trauma that range from neglect to overt violence. Specific cases covered include conversion hysteria, stigmata, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
van der Kolk, B; McFarlane, A. C., & L. Weisaeth (Eds.). Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Over whelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society. (1996). New York: The Guilford Press. A collection of chapters on background issues and history of PTSD, acute reactions, adaptations to trauma, memory mechanisms, dissociative responses, developmental, social and cultural issues. Authored by leading researchers from psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral and pharmacological schools of thought.
Wilson, J. P., Friedman, M. J., & J. D. Lindy (Eds.). Treating Psychological Trauma and PTSD. (2001). New York: The Guilford Press. Contains and excellent discussion of treatment for specific trauma populations such as dual diagnosis, cross cultural treatment, childhood trauma, PTSD in patients with severe mental illness. Case histories illustrate treatment principles.
Web Sites
Deployment Health Clinical Center. www.PDHealth.mil This is a military web site with resources for professional helpers as well as military members and their families. There are frequent updates with postings of published research on stress, as well as links to treatment guidelines.
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. www.istss.org/ The organization publishes a journal and has conferences on the subject of traumatic stress. Resources for clinicians as well as public education information are on this excellent web site.
National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder www.ncptsd.va.gov This is a VA web site and has an outstanding and voluminous collection of information on the topic. There is a link to VA and Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines.
