At the request of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a study on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Specifically related to the assessment and diagnosis of PTSD, the committee reviewed and commented on the objective measures used in the diagnosis of PTSD and known risk factors for the development of PTSD. 

The committee  reviewed the utility and objectiveness of the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), and commented on the validity of current screening instruments and their predictive capacity for accurate diagnoses.

IOM used the existing committee on Gulf War and Health: Physiologic, Psychologic, and Psychosocial Effects of Deployment Related Stress to complete the task related to diagnosis and validity of diagnostic instruments. 

The existing committee formed a subcommittee of members with the expertise to respond to the new statement of task.  The subcommittee met separately from the main committee; they worked with consultants, and following their deliberations wrote a short report which was presented to the main committee for consideration and sign off.