Is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) an illness that arises after horrific and life-threatening events? Or is it a label that medicalizes human suffering, and brings with it more problems than it solves?

Still a relatively new diagnosis, PTSD has changed our vocabulary and shaped our views on human coping and resilience. Yet almost every assumption upon which the diagnosis rests has come under question. In this volume, Gerald Rosen brings together leading international scholars in posttraumatic studies to consider the most contentious debates. Each chapter offers an analysis of the issues, reviews current research, and clarifies implications for the practicing clinician.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Issues and Controversies is essential reading for all practitioners, researchers, and students who work in the field of trauma. Professionals in related health fields and the law will also find this book useful.