ABSTRACT
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common mental health disorders in Australia, with a 12-month prevalence of between 3 per cent and 7 per cent, depending on the diagnostic criteria used (Peters et al., 1999), and a lifetime prevalence of approximately 8.3 per cent (Kilpatrick et al., 2013). PTSD develops after direct or indirect exposure to potentially traumatic events. The core symptoms of the disorder involve re-experiencing the trauma, alterations in arousal and reactivity, avoidance and numbing, and negative changes in mood and cognition (Friedman et al., 2007). Exposure to traumatic events confronts the individual’s basic beliefs about safety and personal control, and responses often involve fear and helplessness. For approximately two-thirds of individuals exposed to a significantly traumatic event, any sequelae resolve spontaneously with time, however, one third will go on to develop PTSD (Cusack et al., 2016). In approximately 10–20 per cent of those who develop PTSD, the course of the disorder is chronic, with debilitating symptoms that impact on quality of life, relationships, work and physical health (Fletcher et al., 2010).
