Testing the ICD-11 proposal for complex PTSD in trauma-exposed adults: factor structure and symptom profiles

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• The International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) proposes distinct criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (cPTSD).
• Previous research supports this distinction, but studies often use homogenous samples, limiting generalizability.
• This study addresses these limitations by examining a heterogeneous trauma-exposed sample.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the construct validity and factor structure of the proposed ICD-11 criteria for cPTSD.
• To evaluate the distinction between cPTSD and PTSD in a diverse population.
• To identify distinct symptom profiles within cPTSD.

Main Methods:

• Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to assess the factor structure of ICD-11 cPTSD criteria.
• Latent profile analyses (LPAs) were employed to identify predominant symptom profiles.
• The study included 341 trauma-exposed adults.

Main Results:

• A six-factor structure, encompassing intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal, affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and interpersonal problems, best fit the data for cPTSD.
• Latent profile analysis identified four distinct classes of symptom severity.
• These classes included a PTSD group, a low symptom group, a cPTSD group, and a severe cPTSD group.

Conclusions:

• The findings replicate and support the proposed six-factor structure of cPTSD in the ICD-11.
• The results underscore the validity of conceptualizing PTSD and cPTSD as separate mental health disorders.
• This research validates the utility of the ICD-11 framework for trauma-related disorders.