Fright (Effroi) and other Peritraumatic Responses after a Serious Motor Vehicle Accident: Prospective Influence on Acute PTSD Development

Abstract

The immediate reactions described in criterion A2 of the DSM-IV (that is, fear, helplessness, and horror) did not seem to be equally relevant. An initial feeling of fright seems to be an essential qualitative factor in the clinical description of psychological trauma.