Using network models to explore the associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and subjective...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently associated with cognitive deficits.
• Understanding the specific relationship between PTSD symptoms and subjective cognitive functioning (SCF) is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cross-sectional associations between subjective cognitive functioning (SCF) and various aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• To examine the temporal stability of these associations over a 3-year period.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS) with 1484 participants.
• Employed partial correlation networks to analyze DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and SCF at baseline and follow-up.
• Assessed associations between PTSD sum scores, symptom domains, individual symptoms, and SCF.

Main Results:

• A negative association was found between the overall PTSD sum score and SCF.
• SCF was consistently negatively linked to PTSD symptom domains 'marked alterations in arousal and reactivity' and 'negative alterations in cognitions and mood'.
• Specific symptoms like 'difficulty concentrating' and 'trouble experiencing positive feelings' showed robust negative relations with SCF, largely replicated at 3-year follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Certain PTSD symptoms temporally precede and are statistically linked to the development or persistence of reduced SCF.
• Examining specific PTSD symptom domains and their relation to SCF is more informative than focusing solely on PTSD diagnoses or sum scores.
• Further investigation into the mechanisms underlying the relationship between PTSD and SCF is warranted.