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Steven Gold

Nova Southeastern University, Center for Psychological Studies, Faculty Member

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Steven N Gold, PhD is Professor Emeritus in the College of Psychology at Nova Southeastern University, a researcher and practitioner with expertise in psychological trauma and dissociation, author of the books Contextual Trauma Therapy and Not Trauma Alone, and Editor in Chief of the APA Handbook of Trauma Psychology. He was inaugural editor of the APA journal Trauma Psychology and served as president of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation and of the APA Division of Trauma Psychology.
Address: Fort Lauderdale, United States

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Papers by Steven Gold

Contextual trauma therapy: Overcoming traumatization and reaching full potential

Contextual trauma therapy: Overcoming traumatization and reaching full potential., 2020

Cardiovascular risks in relation to posttraumatic stress severity among young trauma-exposed women

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2018

Background: Posttraumatic stress is associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD... more Background: Posttraumatic stress is associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Relatively little research, particularly among women, has documented mechanisms by which PTSD might confer CVD risk during early adulthood. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the number and relative levels of CVD risk factors are associated with posttraumatic stress symptom severity among young, trauma-exposed women. Methods: Participants were premenopausal women ages 19-49 with varying levels of posttraumatic stress and no history of chronic medical illness (n=54), and were recruited from mental health clinics and the general community. Posttraumatic stress severity was assessed with a structured clinical interview (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale). The CVD risk factors assessed

Therapist-Guided Practical Skills in the Treatment of Complex Dissociation

The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conf... more The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conference. Stop by for some creative fun! The walking labyrinth will be set up in the grounding room and will also be available throughout the duration of the conference. The labyrinth, along with walking tips, are provided courtesy of by Alix Amar M.Ed, MSS, LCSW Be sure to stop by and see our vendors and sponsors in the front area. They will have many things to offer that may be helpful with your healing journey. Friday Night-February 1st: 6:30-8:00 PM Supporter/Caregiver Small Group by Nancy Gaulin, PsyD and Paula Burley, RN Room 1 Meet other supporters and share your concerns, hopes, and questions in a safe space. 8:30-9:30 PM Welcome Reception Main Conference Hall Attendees can enjoy some light complimentary snacks and drinks while meeting and reconnecting with other attendees. Registration will be open during this time.

Relations between coercive strategies and MMPI-2 scale elevations among women survivors of childhood sexual abuse

Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2000

Validation of an MMPI-2 Dependency Scale among Sexual Abuse Survivors

Characteristics of childhood sexual abuse among female survivors in therapy

Child Abuse & Neglect, 1996

MMPI-2F scale elevations in adult victims of child sexual abuse

Journal of Traumatic Stress, Jun 1, 2003

The present study assessed whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) F s... more The present study assessed whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) F scale elevations may reflect genuine trauma-related distress and/or psychopathology, rather than malingering, in a clinical sample of adult child sexual abuse (CSA) victims. Eighty-eight women seeking outpatient treatment for CSA after-effects participated. Self-report measures of dissociation, posttraumatic stress, depression, and family environment individually correlated significantly with F , and collectively accounted for 40% of its variance. Dissociation was the strongest predictor. Findings suggest that high F elevations may reflect genuine problem areas often found among CSA victims, rather than symptom overreporting.

Clinical Presentations of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder across Trauma Populations

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Oct 1, 2000

This investigation examined differences in symptom patterns of two different trauma samples using... more This investigation examined differences in symptom patterns of two different trauma samples using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). MMPI-2s of 122 male combat veterans seeking outpatient treatment for combat-related PTSD were compared with those of 64 PTSD-diagnosed adults seeking outpatient treatment for the effects of child sexual abuse (CSA). We examined variables related to degree of health concerns, depression, somatization, anger and hostility, masculine-feminine traits, paranoid ideation, anxiety, difficulties thinking and concentrating, elevated mood, and social introversion, as well as test-taking attitude. MANOVAs revealed between-group differences on several variables. However, when analyses controlled for the effect of age, nearly all differences disappeared; the only remaining difference was in a scale measuring anger. Thus, it appears CSA survivors and combat veterans are much more similar than different in their clinical presentation on the MMPI-2. Conceptual issues in the assessment of PTSD are discussed.

Cross-Validation of the MMPI-2 in Detecting Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Journal of Personality Assessment, Dec 1, 2000

We attempted to cross-validate findings from a previous study (Elhai, Gold, Sellers, & Dorfman, i... more We attempted to cross-validate findings from a previous study (Elhai, Gold, Sellers, & Dorfman, in press) using a clinical sample of combat-related war veterans to distinguish genuine from malingered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989). The MMPI-2 scores of 124 male combat war veterans at the PTSD outpatient treatment program of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center were compared with those of 84 adult college students instructed and trained to malinger PTSD. MMPI-2 overreporting variables examined were F, |F-Fb|, F-K, F(p), Ds 2 , O-S, OT, and FBS. A stepwise discriminant analysis identified F, |F-Fb|, F-K, Ds 2 , O-S, and OT as the best malingering predictors. A predictive discriminant analysis yielded good hit rates for the model with impressive cross-validation results. We assessed cutting scores for the predictors of the model. We discuss clinical implications for using the MMPI-2 to distinguish malingered PTSD from combat-related PTSD. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant clinical problem in the mental health field. Lifetime prevalence estimates for the disorder range from 1 to 14% in general populations (American Psychiatric Association, 1994; Kaplan, Sadock, & Grebb, 1994) and as high as 15% in combat veterans, with an additional 11% of veterans in the subclinical range of PTSD (Kulka et al., 1990).

A comparison of psychological/psychiatric symptomatology of women and men sexually abused as children

Child Abuse & Neglect, Jul 1, 1999

Childhood disclosure of sexual abuse: Necessary but not necessarily sufficient

Child Abuse & Neglect, 2016

We wish to dedicate this article to the memory of Jan Swingle, Ph.D., who originally proposed the... more

Contextual Therapy for Complex Traumatization: Beyond Symptom Reduction

Trauma-informed Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Dissociative Identity Disorder

The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conf... more The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conference. Stop by for some creative fun! The walking labyrinth will be set up in the grounding room and will also be available throughout the duration of the conference. The labyrinth, along with walking tips, are provided courtesy of by Alix Amar M.Ed, MSS, LCSW Be sure to stop by and see our vendors and sponsors in the front area. They will have many things to offer that may be helpful with your healing journey. Friday Night-February 1st: 6:30-8:00 PM Supporter/Caregiver Small Group by Nancy Gaulin, PsyD and Paula Burley, RN Room 1 Meet other supporters and share your concerns, hopes, and questions in a safe space. 8:30-9:30 PM Welcome Reception Main Conference Hall Attendees can enjoy some light complimentary snacks and drinks while meeting and reconnecting with other attendees. Registration will be open during this time.

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation 26th Annual Conference, November 21-23, 2009, Washington, DC: Pathway to Integration

PsycEXTRA Dataset

Family Environment, Depression, and Alexithymia in Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

PsycEXTRA Dataset

NSUWorks Clergy Sexual Abuse CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

A Commentary on “The Rorschach and Trauma” (Kaser-Boyd, 2021)

Rorschachiana, 2021

About this issue: Diversity and convergence in the study of psychological trauma

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2009

... Gold, Steven N. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, Vol 1(2), Jun 2... more

Trauma and Serious Mental Illness: Is the Pendulum About to Swing?

Journal of Psychological Trauma, 2008

For enough decades now, that many of our junior colleagues may not be aware that it was ever othe... more For enough decades now, that many of our junior colleagues may not be aware that it was ever otherwise, we have known that serious mental illnesses (SMIs)–most notably schizophrenia and bipolar disorder–are a manifestation of disordered biochemistry. Before we knew this to be the case, in an earlier, now all-but-forgotten era, a prevalent belief was that these and other syndromes were not reflections of neurotransmitter malfunction, but responses to horrific experiences. In the glow of current scientific knowledge, the long-outdated notion that the major contributor to SMIs was nurture rather than nature may appear at best quaint and at worst terribly misguided. A logical extension of the conclusion that SMIs are biologically-based disorders is that treatment must consequently be biologically based as well. Therefore, the primary intervention approach for these disorders has been pharmacological. Those in treatment for SMIs are routinely told that their disorder is chronic, and that unless they continue taking their medication for the rest of their lives, their symptoms will unquestionably worsen. And because it is widely assumed that people with SMI diagnoses are experiencing the effects of disordered biochemistry, for the most part mental health professionals have stopped

About Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2009

Associate editors Christine Courtois, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, and I are honored to have had the... more

Contextual trauma therapy: Overcoming traumatization and reaching full potential

Contextual trauma therapy: Overcoming traumatization and reaching full potential., 2020

Cardiovascular risks in relation to posttraumatic stress severity among young trauma-exposed women

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2018

Background: Posttraumatic stress is associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD... more Background: Posttraumatic stress is associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Relatively little research, particularly among women, has documented mechanisms by which PTSD might confer CVD risk during early adulthood. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the number and relative levels of CVD risk factors are associated with posttraumatic stress symptom severity among young, trauma-exposed women. Methods: Participants were premenopausal women ages 19-49 with varying levels of posttraumatic stress and no history of chronic medical illness (n=54), and were recruited from mental health clinics and the general community. Posttraumatic stress severity was assessed with a structured clinical interview (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale). The CVD risk factors assessed

Therapist-Guided Practical Skills in the Treatment of Complex Dissociation

The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conf... more The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conference. Stop by for some creative fun! The walking labyrinth will be set up in the grounding room and will also be available throughout the duration of the conference. The labyrinth, along with walking tips, are provided courtesy of by Alix Amar M.Ed, MSS, LCSW Be sure to stop by and see our vendors and sponsors in the front area. They will have many things to offer that may be helpful with your healing journey. Friday Night-February 1st: 6:30-8:00 PM Supporter/Caregiver Small Group by Nancy Gaulin, PsyD and Paula Burley, RN Room 1 Meet other supporters and share your concerns, hopes, and questions in a safe space. 8:30-9:30 PM Welcome Reception Main Conference Hall Attendees can enjoy some light complimentary snacks and drinks while meeting and reconnecting with other attendees. Registration will be open during this time.

Relations between coercive strategies and MMPI-2 scale elevations among women survivors of childhood sexual abuse

Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2000

Validation of an MMPI-2 Dependency Scale among Sexual Abuse Survivors

Characteristics of childhood sexual abuse among female survivors in therapy

Child Abuse & Neglect, 1996

MMPI-2F scale elevations in adult victims of child sexual abuse

Journal of Traumatic Stress, Jun 1, 2003

The present study assessed whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) F s... more The present study assessed whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) F scale elevations may reflect genuine trauma-related distress and/or psychopathology, rather than malingering, in a clinical sample of adult child sexual abuse (CSA) victims. Eighty-eight women seeking outpatient treatment for CSA after-effects participated. Self-report measures of dissociation, posttraumatic stress, depression, and family environment individually correlated significantly with F , and collectively accounted for 40% of its variance. Dissociation was the strongest predictor. Findings suggest that high F elevations may reflect genuine problem areas often found among CSA victims, rather than symptom overreporting.

Clinical Presentations of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder across Trauma Populations

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Oct 1, 2000

This investigation examined differences in symptom patterns of two different trauma samples using... more This investigation examined differences in symptom patterns of two different trauma samples using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). MMPI-2s of 122 male combat veterans seeking outpatient treatment for combat-related PTSD were compared with those of 64 PTSD-diagnosed adults seeking outpatient treatment for the effects of child sexual abuse (CSA). We examined variables related to degree of health concerns, depression, somatization, anger and hostility, masculine-feminine traits, paranoid ideation, anxiety, difficulties thinking and concentrating, elevated mood, and social introversion, as well as test-taking attitude. MANOVAs revealed between-group differences on several variables. However, when analyses controlled for the effect of age, nearly all differences disappeared; the only remaining difference was in a scale measuring anger. Thus, it appears CSA survivors and combat veterans are much more similar than different in their clinical presentation on the MMPI-2. Conceptual issues in the assessment of PTSD are discussed.

Cross-Validation of the MMPI-2 in Detecting Malingered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Journal of Personality Assessment, Dec 1, 2000

We attempted to cross-validate findings from a previous study (Elhai, Gold, Sellers, & Dorfman, i... more We attempted to cross-validate findings from a previous study (Elhai, Gold, Sellers, & Dorfman, in press) using a clinical sample of combat-related war veterans to distinguish genuine from malingered posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989). The MMPI-2 scores of 124 male combat war veterans at the PTSD outpatient treatment program of a Veterans Affairs Medical Center were compared with those of 84 adult college students instructed and trained to malinger PTSD. MMPI-2 overreporting variables examined were F, |F-Fb|, F-K, F(p), Ds 2 , O-S, OT, and FBS. A stepwise discriminant analysis identified F, |F-Fb|, F-K, Ds 2 , O-S, and OT as the best malingering predictors. A predictive discriminant analysis yielded good hit rates for the model with impressive cross-validation results. We assessed cutting scores for the predictors of the model. We discuss clinical implications for using the MMPI-2 to distinguish malingered PTSD from combat-related PTSD. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant clinical problem in the mental health field. Lifetime prevalence estimates for the disorder range from 1 to 14% in general populations (American Psychiatric Association, 1994; Kaplan, Sadock, & Grebb, 1994) and as high as 15% in combat veterans, with an additional 11% of veterans in the subclinical range of PTSD (Kulka et al., 1990).

A comparison of psychological/psychiatric symptomatology of women and men sexually abused as children

Child Abuse & Neglect, Jul 1, 1999

Childhood disclosure of sexual abuse: Necessary but not necessarily sufficient

Child Abuse & Neglect, 2016

We wish to dedicate this article to the memory of Jan Swingle, Ph.D., who originally proposed the... more

Contextual Therapy for Complex Traumatization: Beyond Symptom Reduction

Trauma-informed Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Dissociative Identity Disorder

The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conf... more The Creative Corner, sponsored by Pandora's Project, will be available throughout the entire conference. Stop by for some creative fun! The walking labyrinth will be set up in the grounding room and will also be available throughout the duration of the conference. The labyrinth, along with walking tips, are provided courtesy of by Alix Amar M.Ed, MSS, LCSW Be sure to stop by and see our vendors and sponsors in the front area. They will have many things to offer that may be helpful with your healing journey. Friday Night-February 1st: 6:30-8:00 PM Supporter/Caregiver Small Group by Nancy Gaulin, PsyD and Paula Burley, RN Room 1 Meet other supporters and share your concerns, hopes, and questions in a safe space. 8:30-9:30 PM Welcome Reception Main Conference Hall Attendees can enjoy some light complimentary snacks and drinks while meeting and reconnecting with other attendees. Registration will be open during this time.

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation 26th Annual Conference, November 21-23, 2009, Washington, DC: Pathway to Integration

PsycEXTRA Dataset

Family Environment, Depression, and Alexithymia in Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

PsycEXTRA Dataset

NSUWorks Clergy Sexual Abuse CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE

A Commentary on “The Rorschach and Trauma” (Kaser-Boyd, 2021)

Rorschachiana, 2021

About this issue: Diversity and convergence in the study of psychological trauma

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2009

... Gold, Steven N. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, Vol 1(2), Jun 2... more

Trauma and Serious Mental Illness: Is the Pendulum About to Swing?

Journal of Psychological Trauma, 2008

For enough decades now, that many of our junior colleagues may not be aware that it was ever othe... more For enough decades now, that many of our junior colleagues may not be aware that it was ever otherwise, we have known that serious mental illnesses (SMIs)–most notably schizophrenia and bipolar disorder–are a manifestation of disordered biochemistry. Before we knew this to be the case, in an earlier, now all-but-forgotten era, a prevalent belief was that these and other syndromes were not reflections of neurotransmitter malfunction, but responses to horrific experiences. In the glow of current scientific knowledge, the long-outdated notion that the major contributor to SMIs was nurture rather than nature may appear at best quaint and at worst terribly misguided. A logical extension of the conclusion that SMIs are biologically-based disorders is that treatment must consequently be biologically based as well. Therefore, the primary intervention approach for these disorders has been pharmacological. Those in treatment for SMIs are routinely told that their disorder is chronic, and that unless they continue taking their medication for the rest of their lives, their symptoms will unquestionably worsen. And because it is widely assumed that people with SMI diagnoses are experiencing the effects of disordered biochemistry, for the most part mental health professionals have stopped

About Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2009

Associate editors Christine Courtois, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, and I are honored to have had the... more