Prospective and retrospective life‐charting in posttraumatic stress disorder (the PTSD‐LCM): A pilot study

The purpose of this study was to design and conduct a pilot analysis evaluating the utility of a longitudinal, graphic approach to the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Representative patients were instructed in the use of a daily prospective life‐chart; they were interviewed and their past medical records were examined for monthly retrospective life‐charting. The life charts were used to record life events, activating and inhibiting PTSD symptoms, comorbid symptoms, and treatment. Patients readily completed the prospective life‐chart and retrospectively rated symptoms associated with traumatic and nontraumatic life events. Life‐charting facilitated longitudinal depiction of the relationship of life experiences to PTSD symptoms and comorbidities, and the tracking of responses to medications.