Autonomic Activities in Cases of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Through Virtual Reconstruction of Trauma

Background: In Iran, one of the main duties of forensic psychiatrists is to accurately diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In order to achieve a more accurate diagnosis and reduce the possibility of deception, the autonomic reactions of patients with PTSD were investigated through virtual reconstructed trauma. Methods: The autonomic activities of 80 patients who were diagnosed with PTSD by psychiatric interview based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) and PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) checklists, were recorded by an electronic wristband through virtual trauma exposure. Data were collected and analyzed by SPSS software, version 16. Results: The galvanic skin response, heart rate, and body temperature can be the most reliable automatic reactions to diagnose true cases of PTSD. Conclusion: The findings of this study along with psychometric tests can be used to distinguish between true cases of PTSD and fake cases.