Further Thoughts on Criterion Creep, and the Creation of Pretraumatic Stress Disorder
Author:
Gerald M. Rosen - University of Washington
Author
Note:
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Gerald
M. Rosen, 205 Eastlake Center, 2825 Eastlake Ave. East, Seattle, WA 98102.
E-mail: grosen@u.washington.edu.
Abstract:
O’Donohue and Avina (2004) challenge conclusions reached in my (2004) analysis of their earlier paper regarding
what types of sexual harassment constitute trauma (Avina & O’Donohue, 2002). Their comments reaffirm that Avina
and O’Donohue’s original paper did extend the phenomenon of conceptual bracket creep (McNally, 2004) and proposed
the conceptual equivalent of pretraumatic stress disorder. The proposals advanced by Avina and O’Donohue,
and other examples of conceptual bracket creep, undermine the construct validity of posttraumatic stress disorder.
