The Epidemiology of Acute Stress Disorder and Other Early Responses to Trauma in Adults

Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a trauma- and stressor-related disorder characterized by exposure to a traumatic event closely followed by symptoms of intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance, arousal, and impairment in functioning. ASD’s time-limited duration (3 days to 1 month) makes it distinct from, but related to, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is diagnosed after 1 month. Although there are no large-scale, population-based studies of ASD, smaller studies have examined rates of ASD in select populations following a variety of traumatic events. The prevalence of ASD varies widely depending on the type of traumatic event and the population. The highest rates are in victims of sexual assault and violent crime, with more moderate rates in victims of motor vehicle accidents, burns, illness, disaster, war, and terrorism. Female gender, younger age, and a history of prior trauma, PTSD, or other mental health disorders are risk factors for ASD.