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The dissociative subtype of PTSD: a replication and extension.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wolf, EJ; Lunney, CA; Miller, MW; Resick, PA; Friedman, MJ; Schnurr, PP
Published in: Depress Anxiety
August 2012

BACKGROUND: The nature of the relationship between dissociation and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has clinical and nosological importance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evidence for a dissociative subtype of PTSD in two independent samples and to examine the pattern of personality disorder (PD) comorbidity associated with the dissociative subtype of PTSD. METHODS: Latent profile analyses were conducted on PTSD and dissociation items reflecting derealization and depersonalization in two samples of archived data: Study 1 included 360 male Vietnam War Veterans with combat-related PTSD; Study 2 included 284 female Veterans and active duty service personnel with PTSD and a high base rate of exposure to sexual trauma. RESULTS: The latent profile analysis yielded evidence for a three-class solution in both samples: the model was defined by moderate and high PTSD classes and a class marked by high PTSD severity coupled with high levels of dissociation. Approximately 15% of the male sample and 30% of the female sample were classified into the dissociative class. Women (but not men) in the dissociative group exhibited higher levels of comorbid avoidant and borderline PD diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide support for a dissociative subtype of PTSD and also suggest that dissociation may play a role in the frequent co-occurrence of PTSD and borderline PD among women. These results are pertinent to the on-going revisions to the DSM and suggest that consideration should be given to incorporating a dissociative subtype into the revised PTSD criteria.

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Published In

Depress Anxiety

DOI

EISSN

1520-6394

Publication Date

August 2012

Volume

29

Issue

8

Start / End Page

679 / 688

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Sex Offenses
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Psychiatry
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
 

Citation

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Wolf, E. J., Lunney, C. A., Miller, M. W., Resick, P. A., Friedman, M. J., & Schnurr, P. P. (2012). The dissociative subtype of PTSD: a replication and extension. Depress Anxiety, 29(8), 679–688. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.21946
Wolf, Erika J., Carole A. Lunney, Mark W. Miller, Patricia A. Resick, Matthew J. Friedman, and Paula P. Schnurr. “The dissociative subtype of PTSD: a replication and extension.Depress Anxiety 29, no. 8 (August 2012): 679–88. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.21946.
Wolf EJ, Lunney CA, Miller MW, Resick PA, Friedman MJ, Schnurr PP. The dissociative subtype of PTSD: a replication and extension. Depress Anxiety. 2012 Aug;29(8):679–88.
Wolf, Erika J., et al. “The dissociative subtype of PTSD: a replication and extension.Depress Anxiety, vol. 29, no. 8, Aug. 2012, pp. 679–88. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/da.21946.
Wolf EJ, Lunney CA, Miller MW, Resick PA, Friedman MJ, Schnurr PP. The dissociative subtype of PTSD: a replication and extension. Depress Anxiety. 2012 Aug;29(8):679–688.
Journal cover image

Published In

Depress Anxiety

DOI

EISSN

1520-6394

Publication Date

August 2012

Volume

29

Issue

8

Start / End Page

679 / 688

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Sex Offenses
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Psychiatry
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female