Dissociation and posttraumatic stress disorder: a latent profile analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) includes a dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• This subtype is defined by pronounced symptoms of depersonalization and derealization.
• Further investigation is needed to understand the characteristics and implications of this subtype.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the dissociative subtype of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of college students.
• To identify distinct profiles of individuals with PTSD, including those with dissociative features.
• To explore the psychopathological correlates of these identified profiles.

Main Methods:

• Latent profile analysis was employed to analyze data from 541 trauma-exposed college students.
• The PTSD Checklist and Multiscale Dissociation Inventory were used as indicators for latent class analysis.
• Statistical analyses were conducted to identify distinct subgroups and compare their psychopathology.

Main Results:

• A three-class solution emerged: a well-adjusted group, a PTSD group, and a PTSD/dissociative group.
• The PTSD/dissociative class exhibited elevated symptoms of PTSD, depersonalization, and derealization.
• Significant differences in related psychopathology were observed across the classes, with effect sizes ranging from 0.04 to 1.86.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the validity of distinct profiles within PTSD, including a specific dissociative subtype.
• These identified classes have significant implications for the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.
• Further research should explore the clinical utility of differentiating these PTSD profiles.