Literature and Medicine: Clinical Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Contemporary Iranian Fictions

Background: Some studies indicated that the study of stories in which physical or mental illnesses are described helps to better understand the patient and his/her sickness; but unfortunately, this approach is neglected in the Persian literature. Paying attention to this issue can increase the attractiveness of studying such literary works for the Iranian and non-Iranian audience and can grant new sights to readers, as well. Objectives: This research is conducted to describe and explain the symptoms of the PTSD in the characters of modern Persian fiction, based on the clinical symptoms. Methods: This is qualitative research. Seven characters from the seven stories were selected purposefully to fit the researcher’s goals. Then, they were analyzed according to the DSM-5 criteria. Results: The results indicated that the selected stories represent individuals with PTSD consistent with the clinical criteria for the diagnostic of the disorder. In these stories, the authors, in addition to describing clinical symptoms, have considered inheritance, gender, and cultural factors to create characters in accordance with the specifications of the people who have been damaged in the real world. Conclusions: Reading these stories can be useful due to applying descriptions based on clinical criteria for the diagnosis of this disorder (PTSD), and thanks to the use of literary language in representing the victim’s inner and spiritual status, are useful in creating an engagement resulting from a proper understanding of the person who is suffering from such disorder.