Citation

Griffin MG. J. Trauma. Stress 2008; 21(1): 91-99.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology Center for Trauma Recovery, University of Missouri, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.20300

PMID

18302176

Abstract

This study used a prospective design to investigate startle reactivity following trauma exposure. Startle response was evaluated using loud tones during which measures of eyeblink electromyogram (EMG) and heart rate (HR) were collected. Participants were 40 female sexual or physical assault survivors assessed at 1 month and 6 months post-assault. There were no significant differences in startle reactivity between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and non-PTSD groups at the initial assessment. However, at 6 months post-assault there was a significantly greater EMG and HR response in the PTSD group as well as a significant increase in startle reactivity from 1 month to 6 months post-assault. The findings lend support to a sensitization model of trauma reactivity in which startle response develops over time along with PTSD symptoms.

Language: en