PANCE Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Practice Test

Acute Stress Disorder is diagnosed when symptoms after a traumatic event last for a specific, limited window: 3 days up to 1 month following the trauma. This time frame is what sets ASD apart from a brief, normal stress reaction (which may resolve in less than a few days) and from PTSD, which is diagnosed when symptoms persist for more than one month. In addition to this duration, ASD requires distress or impairment and a cluster of symptoms across domains like intrusion, avoidance, negative mood/cognition, dissociation, and arousal (typically nine or more of the 14 possible symptoms). If symptoms continue beyond one month, reconsider with PTSD criteria.