Resource Loss and Naturalistic Reduction of PTSD Among Inner-City Women Kristen H. Walter Kent State University Stevan E. Hobfoll Kent State University Summa Health System Halting the process of psychosocial and material resource loss has been theo- rized as being associated with the reduction of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examines how the limiting of resource loss is related to alle- viation of PTSD symptoms among 102 inner-city women, who originally met diagnostic criteria for PTSD after experiencing interpersonal traumatic events such as child abuse, rape, and sexual assault. Participants whose PTSD symp- toms improve and become nondiagnostic for PTSD are compared with those who remain diagnostic. The two groups are not significantly different at pretest. However, at the 6-month time point, those who become nondiagnostic for PTSD report less resources loss in three of four domains. This pattern suggests that as PTSD symptoms decrease, women’s material and psychosocial resource loss diminishes, which in turn, may aid their recovery process. Keywords: PTSD; resources; symptom reduction C onsiderable research has examined the etiology and treatment of post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Epidemiological studies have esti- mated that the lifetime prevalence of PTSD ranges from 8% to 12% (Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes, & Nelson, 1995; Resnick, Kilpatrick, Dansky, Saunders, & Best, 1993). Although there is a well-established relationship Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume 24 Number 3 March 2009 482-498 © 2009 Sage Publications 10.1177/0886260508317174 http://jiv.sagepub.com hosted at http://online.sagepub.com 482 Authors’ Note: This research was supported by Grant 5 RO1 MHO45669–12 National Institute of Health, NIMH Office of AIDS Research. We express our special thanks to Dr. Dawn Johnson who provided helpful suggestions and feedback on the manuscript prior to submission. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Kristen H. Walter, Kent Hall 136, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242; e-mail: Kwalter2@kent.edu.