Acute Stress Disorder ─ What It Is and How to Treat It

Drawing on extensive research and clinical experience, leading authority Richard A. Bryant explores what works--and what doesn't work--in managing acute traumatic stress. He reviews the current state of the science on acute stress disorder (ASD) and presents diagnostic guidelines based on DSM-5. In a straightforward, highly readable style, Bryant shares rich insights into how to provide effective, compassionate care to specific populations, including those with mild traumatic brain injury, military personnel and first responders, and children. Evidence-based intervention procedures are described; reproducible assessment tools and handouts can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

Richard A. Bryant, MPsych, PhD, FAPS, is Scientia Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and Director of the Traumatic Stress Clinic. He has won numerous research awards, including the Robert S. Laufer, PhD, Memorial Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Science Award from the Australian Psychological Society, and the Founders Medal from the Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research (now the Society for Mental Health Research). His research has focused on understanding and treating acute stress disorder, and he has conducted many experimental, longitudinal, and intervention studies of acute traumatic stress. Dr. Bryant has served on both the DSM-5 and ICD-11 work groups that have written traumatic stress diagnostic guidelines. He has published over 420 peer-reviewed journal articles and 60 book chapters.