Some thoughts about guidelines for the psychological treatment of traumatized persons

In this article, the Dutch and Australian guidelines for the treatment of posttraumatic stress and their operation are considered. An effort is made to place these guidelines within science more generally-empirical science as well as logic. Expert-based and evidence-based recommendations need to be distinguished sharply from related phenomena such as social norms. it is concluded that the two guidelines are similar in many respects, with the exception of the Dutch guideline concerning a subpopulation of the Australian one and of a higher number of expert-based recommendations in the Australian guideline. Integration of international guidelines may benefit cure-and-care of disaster victims.