These three types of maladaptive cognitions mative is the observation that PTSD without have been proposed risk factors for PTSD emotional abuse was not related to low corti-and are associated with the development of sol in this sample. Furthermore, subjects with PTSD symptoms following trauma exposure depressive disorder tended to show elevated (Foa, Ehlers, Clark, Tolin, Indeed, current study the develop-tional abuse, which case cortisol levels ment of PTSD associated with a greater were also low. These data suggest that emo-degree of self-reported childhood trauma tional abuse associated with cortisol inde-cept for physical abuse) in the entire sample. pendent of that associated with PTSD or de-When analyses were performed only on pression. subset of subjects reporting a criterion "A" When more complex analyses were per-trauma strong associations be-formed for the other CTQ dimensions, there tween CTQ dimensions and severity of lifetime a significant main effect of sexual abuse PTSD symptoms were observed. When both on cortisol. Interestingly, however, the rela-CTQ dimensions and PTSD were assessed tionship observed with sexual abuse was in dichotomous variables, childhood sexual abuse the opposite direction to that observed with was the only dimension that specifically emotional abuse and only emerged once both associated with the development of PTSD in presence and absence of PTSD and depressive response to an adult traumatic event. disorder were considered. Although subjects Childhood trauma and parental PTSD were with both PTSD and sexual abuse tended associated in the current study, and both are have lower cortisol levels, cortisol levels were putative risk factors for the development of elevated in subjects with sexual abuse only. PTSD. We therefore examined whether the Subjects with sexual abuse and depression relationship between childhood trauma and tended to have elevated cortisol levels, whereas PTSD a reflection of the association of subjects with depressive disorder alone were each of these variables with parental PTSD. In not appreciably different from any other a relatively conservative analysis, logistic re-group. Thus, although the current sample gression found that both emotional abuse and there was some evidence that sexual abuse sexual abuse predicted risk for PTSD over and associated with elevations in cortisol, this above parental PTSD. Thus, at least some only in the context of interactions with childhood trauma dimensions appear to be in-concurrent psychiatric diagnoses. dependently significant factors explaining We have recently speculated that cortisol risk for PTSD. Different types of childhood levels may be related to risk for PTSD, rather trauma may interact differently with other risk than to the pathophysiologic expression of factors. For example, emotional abuse re-this disorder per se (Y ehuda, 1999). There are

DOI link for These three types of maladaptive cognitions mative is the observation that PTSD without have been proposed risk factors for PTSD emotional abuse was not related to low corti-and are associated with the development of sol in this sample. Furthermore, subjects with PTSD symptoms following trauma exposure depressive disorder tended to show elevated (Foa, Ehlers, Clark, Tolin, Indeed, current study the develop-tional abuse, which case cortisol levels ment of PTSD associated with a greater were also low. These data suggest that emo-degree of self-reported childhood trauma tional abuse associated with cortisol inde-cept for physical abuse) in the entire sample. pendent of that associated with PTSD or de-When analyses were performed only on pression. subset of subjects reporting a criterion "A" When more complex analyses were per-trauma strong associations be-formed for the other CTQ dimensions, there tween CTQ dimensions and severity of lifetime a significant main effect of sexual abuse PTSD symptoms were observed. When both on cortisol. Interestingly, however, the rela-CTQ dimensions and PTSD were assessed tionship observed with sexual abuse was in dichotomous variables, childhood sexual abuse the opposite direction to that observed with was the only dimension that specifically emotional abuse and only emerged once both associated with the development of PTSD in presence and absence of PTSD and depressive response to an adult traumatic event. disorder were considered. Although subjects Childhood trauma and parental PTSD were with both PTSD and sexual abuse tended associated in the current study, and both are have lower cortisol levels, cortisol levels were putative risk factors for the development of elevated in subjects with sexual abuse only. PTSD. We therefore examined whether the Subjects with sexual abuse and depression relationship between childhood trauma and tended to have elevated cortisol levels, whereas PTSD a reflection of the association of subjects with depressive disorder alone were each of these variables with parental PTSD. In not appreciably different from any other a relatively conservative analysis, logistic re-group. Thus, although the current sample gression found that both emotional abuse and there was some evidence that sexual abuse sexual abuse predicted risk for PTSD over and associated with elevations in cortisol, this above parental PTSD. Thus, at least some only in the context of interactions with childhood trauma dimensions appear to be in-concurrent psychiatric diagnoses. dependently significant factors explaining We have recently speculated that cortisol risk for PTSD. Different types of childhood levels may be related to risk for PTSD, rather trauma may interact differently with other risk than to the pathophysiologic expression of factors. For example, emotional abuse re-this disorder per se (Y ehuda, 1999). There are

These three types of maladaptive cognitions mative is the observation that PTSD without have been proposed risk factors for PTSD emotional abuse was not related to low corti-and are associated with the development of sol in this sample. Furthermore, subjects with PTSD symptoms following trauma exposure depressive disorder tended to show elevated (Foa, Ehlers, Clark, Tolin, Indeed, current study the develop-tional abuse, which case cortisol levels ment of PTSD associated with a greater were also low. These data suggest that emo-degree of self-reported childhood trauma tional abuse associated with cortisol inde-cept for physical abuse) in the entire sample. pendent of that associated with PTSD or de-When analyses were performed only on pression. subset of subjects reporting a criterion "A" When more complex analyses were per-trauma strong associations be-formed for the other CTQ dimensions, there tween CTQ dimensions and severity of lifetime a significant main effect of sexual abuse PTSD symptoms were observed. When both on cortisol. Interestingly, however, the rela-CTQ dimensions and PTSD were assessed tionship observed with sexual abuse was in dichotomous variables, childhood sexual abuse the opposite direction to that observed with was the only dimension that specifically emotional abuse and only emerged once both associated with the development of PTSD in presence and absence of PTSD and depressive response to an adult traumatic event. disorder were considered. Although subjects Childhood trauma and parental PTSD were with both PTSD and sexual abuse tended associated in the current study, and both are have lower cortisol levels, cortisol levels were putative risk factors for the development of elevated in subjects with sexual abuse only. PTSD. We therefore examined whether the Subjects with sexual abuse and depression relationship between childhood trauma and tended to have elevated cortisol levels, whereas PTSD a reflection of the association of subjects with depressive disorder alone were each of these variables with parental PTSD. In not appreciably different from any other a relatively conservative analysis, logistic re-group. Thus, although the current sample gression found that both emotional abuse and there was some evidence that sexual abuse sexual abuse predicted risk for PTSD over and associated with elevations in cortisol, this above parental PTSD. Thus, at least some only in the context of interactions with childhood trauma dimensions appear to be in-concurrent psychiatric diagnoses. dependently significant factors explaining We have recently speculated that cortisol risk for PTSD. Different types of childhood levels may be related to risk for PTSD, rather trauma may interact differently with other risk than to the pathophysiologic expression of factors. For example, emotional abuse re-this disorder per se (Y ehuda, 1999). There are