Mapping the Multidimensional Picture of Acute Responses to Traumatic Stress

Recent years have seen a growing interest in the immediate responses evoked by traumatic stressors. This renewed interest has several sources, not the least of which is the desire to prevent the occurrence of prolonged stress disorders among survivors. Accordingly, the mapping of the early responses to traumatic events has recently focused on the challenge of identifying risk factors for developing prolonged stress disorders, and in particular post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; for review see Brewin et al. 2000). Early therapeutic interventions have equally been evaluated, and sanctioned, by their preventive longterm effects (Wessely et al. 2000).