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Comorbid psychiatric disorders in PTSD. Implications for research
1Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02130, USA.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|June 21, 1997
Summary
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with other mental health conditions. Research must systematically address this comorbidity using careful comparisons and statistical controls for accurate PTSD findings.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often associated with other psychological conditions.
- Evidence from clinical, epidemiological, and substance abuse studies supports this comorbidity.
- PTSD patient subgroups may exist based on the timing of co-occurring psychological issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of comorbidity in PTSD research.
- To propose systematic methods for addressing comorbidity in PTSD studies.
- To ensure more accurate and reliable conclusions in PTSD research.
Main Methods:
- Systematic consideration of comorbidity in research design.
- Utilizing carefully selected comparison groups.
- Employing statistical procedures to control for comorbidity levels.
- Using global functioning measures (e.g., Global Assessment of Functioning) to equate subjects.
Main Results:
- Comorbidity is a critical factor influencing PTSD presentation and research outcomes.
- Different subgroups of PTSD patients likely exist based on pre-existing or concurrent conditions.
- Failure to account for comorbidity can confound research findings.
Conclusions:
- Future PTSD research must systematically measure and control for comorbidity.
- Careful selection of comparison groups and statistical adjustments are essential.
- Global functioning measures can help mitigate the impact of comorbidity and severity on research conclusions.