The structure of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war veterans.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The present research examined the underlying factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as conceptualized in the recently published fifth edition of the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). DESIGN: Participants were 258 trauma-exposed Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans. METHODS: A self-report measure of PTSD symptoms was administered to all participants and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to compare several different models of PTSD. RESULTS: CFA revealed that the best-fitting model was a six-factor model in which symptoms loaded onto the factors of intrusion, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, dysphoric arousal, and anxious arousal. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have important implications for ongoing conceptualization of PTSD and suggest that additional modifications to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD may still be warranted to more accurately reflect the underlying structure of PTSD symptoms.
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Related Subject Headings
- Veterans
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
- Male
- Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Humans
- Female
- Factor Analysis, Statistical
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
- Clinical Psychology
- Afghan Campaign 2001-
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Veterans
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
- Male
- Iraq War, 2003-2011
- Humans
- Female
- Factor Analysis, Statistical
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
- Clinical Psychology
- Afghan Campaign 2001-