Performance on visuospatial copying tasks in individuals with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder

Psychiatry Res. 2002 Nov 15;112(3):263-8. doi: 10.1016/s0165-1781(02)00234-2.

Abstract

The ability to copy figures was evaluated in 41 subjects with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 27 trauma-exposed, non-PTSD comparison subjects. Individuals with PTSD demonstrated significantly impaired performance. However, after adjusting for pre-trauma variables, there was only a marginally significant association between figure-copying performance and PTSD. These findings are consistent with pre-trauma visual-spatial impairment as being among the risk factors for chronic PTSD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Adult Children / psychology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
  • Child
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / diagnosis
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology
  • Chronic Disease
  • Combat Disorders / diagnosis
  • Combat Disorders / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination / statistics & numerical data
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Orientation*
  • Pattern Recognition, Visual*
  • Psychometrics
  • Psychomotor Performance*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Veterans / psychology
  • Vietnam