Variation in practices and attitudes of clinicians assessing PTSD-related disability among veterans

J Trauma Stress. 2011 Oct;24(5):609-13. doi: 10.1002/jts.20688. Epub 2011 Sep 12.

Abstract

One hundred thirty-eight Veterans Affairs mental health professionals completed a 128-item Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Practice Inventory that asked about their practices and attitudes related to disability assessment of PTSD. Results indicate strikingly wide variation in the attitudes and practices of clinicians conducting disability assessments for PTSD. In a high percentage of cases, these attitudes and practices conflict with best-practice guidelines. Specifically, 59% of clinicians reported rarely or never using testing, and only 17% indicated routinely using standardized clinical interviews. Less than 1% of respondents reported using functional assessment scales.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel*
  • Disability Evaluation*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Mental Health Services
  • Minnesota
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / physiopathology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tennessee
  • Veterans / psychology*