Disorders associated with stress

Abstract

Major changes to the concept of disorders specifically associated with stress have been made since the introduction of the latest revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). With the ICD-11, a separate entity titled complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was introduced to the classification systems for the first time, to include those who have suffered repeated, sustained and multiple forms of trauma, which is commonly associated with childhood abuse. The ICD-11 also includes an entity called prolonged grief disorder, to differentiate the boundaries between normal and atypical grief. Since the release of the ICD-11, there has been much discussion about the validity, utility, reliability and cross-cultural comparison of these disorders, as well as the comparability of these diagnoses with the DSM-V categories. This chapter aims to summarize the latest evidence on the disorders associated with stress, with special relevance to children and adolescents.