Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Therapist Development Center Practice Exam

A veteran showing signs of panic and irritability along with memory loss after a traumatic event is most likely suffering from what diagnosis?

1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

2. Acute Stress Disorder

3. General Anxiety Disorder

4. Adjustment Disorder

The correct answer is: Acute Stress Disorder

The diagnosis most consistent with the symptoms of panic, irritability, and memory loss following a traumatic event is Acute Stress Disorder (ASD). Acute Stress Disorder is characterized by the development of severe anxiety, dissociation, and other behavioral changes that occur within three days to four weeks after exposure to a traumatic event. Symptoms of ASD can include intrusive memories, heightened arousal, and negative alterations in mood or cognition, which can manifest as irritability or difficulty with memory. Since the symptoms are directly related to the recent traumatic experience and have not persisted beyond a month, this aligns perfectly with the criteria for Acute Stress Disorder. In contrast, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) would typically be diagnosed if the symptoms persisted for more than a month following the trauma. Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves a chronic and persistent state of anxiety that is not necessarily linked to a specific traumatic event, and Adjustment Disorder generally encompasses a maladaptive response to a stressor that occurs within three months of the event but is not specific to trauma. Therefore, Acute Stress Disorder is indeed the most fitting diagnosis for this scenario.