Which of the following is a symptom commonly found in both secondary traumatic stress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

• A. Obsessive-compulsive rituals
• B. Intrusive thoughts or memories related to the traumatic event
• C. Hallucinations and delusions
• D. Manic episodes with elevated mood

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definitions of both secondary traumatic stress (STS) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, while STS occurs when someone is indirectly exposed to trauma through close contact with a person who has experienced trauma.
2. Step 2: Identify common symptoms of PTSD, which typically include intrusive thoughts or memories, avoidance behaviors, negative changes in mood and cognition, and heightened arousal or reactivity.
3. Step 3: Recognize that secondary traumatic stress shares many symptoms with PTSD because it results from indirect exposure to trauma, often leading to similar intrusive symptoms such as unwanted memories or thoughts related to the trauma experienced by others.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the answer choices by comparing them to known symptoms of both conditions. Obsessive-compulsive rituals, hallucinations and delusions, and manic episodes are not commonly associated with both STS and PTSD.
5. Step 5: Conclude that 'Intrusive thoughts or memories related to the traumatic event' is the symptom commonly found in both secondary traumatic stress and PTSD, as it directly reflects the core experience of trauma-related distress in both conditions.