The authors describe a variant of posttraumatic stress disorder that
presents as a somatoform disorder. Applying clearly specified diagnostic
criteria, they found that seven of 21 patients who were severely disabled
by medically unexplained symptoms following occupational exposure to toxic
substances had atypical posttraumatic stress disorder, while three patients
had typical posttraumatic stress disorder and the remainder suffered from
somatoform disorders. Analysis of these cases revealed specific exposure
factors and personality characteristics that favor the development of
atypical posttraumatic stress disorder. The authors discuss the
theoretical, clinical, and therapeutic advantages of this diagnosis.Abstract Teaser