ABSTRACT
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition that can develop in the aftermath of exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Primary symptoms of the disorder include intrusive thoughts, avoidance of internal or external reminders of the traumatic event, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, and changes in arousal and reactivity. Based on criteria defined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), lifetime prevalence of PTSD in the United States has been estimated at approximately 6–8% (Goldstein et al., 2016; Kilpatrick et al., 2013). If left untreated, the disorder can persist for many years, along with significant associated functional impairment (Fang et al., 2015; Jackson et al., 2016; Marx et al., 2015; Rodriguez, Holowka, & Marx, 2012).
