Implications for optimizing treatment timing: day of week variation in PTSD symptom clusters.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has four symptom clusters: intrusion, avoidance, negative cognitions/mood, and hyperarousal. Little is known about day-to-day variation in the symptom clusters. If there is such variation, it highlights the need to develop more person-specific interventions. This study examined the day of the week and weekday versus weekend variation in PTSD symptom clusters in individuals with and without PTSD.

Methods

Using an ecological momentary assessment methodology, participants (N = 159; 80 with probable PTSD, 79 without PTSD) completed self-report assessments of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) four times daily for 15 days. Linear mixed models were used to examine associations between the seven days of the week and weekday

SUBMITTER: Biggs QM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12576295 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature