Structural relations between DSM-5 PTSD and major depression symptoms in military soldiers. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are frequently comorbid. One explanation for this comorbidity is that PTSD has a constellation of "dysphoria" symptoms resembling depression. METHOD: Using confirmatory factor analysis we tested the role of DSM-5 PTSDs dysphoria factor in relation to MDD symptom dimensions of somatic and non-somatic psychopathology. 672 Ohio National Guard soldiers completed DSM-5 measures of PTSD and MDD symptoms in an epidemiological study. RESULTS: Results indicated that in contrast to other PTSD factors, PTSDs dysphoria factor was more related to MDDs somatic and non-somatic factors. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include generalizability to the epidemiological population of trauma-exposed military veterans rather than civilians, and reliance on self-report measures. CONCLUSIONS: Implications concerning clinical psychopathology and comorbidity of PTSD are discussed, including whether PTSD should be refined by removing its non-specific symptoms.

published proceedings

  • J Affect Disord

altmetric score

  • 0.5

author list (cited authors)

  • Elhai, J. D., Contractor, A. A., Tamburrino, M., Fine, T. H., Cohen, G., Shirley, E., ... Galea, S.

citation count

  • 61

complete list of authors

  • Elhai, Jon D||Contractor, Ateka A||Tamburrino, Marijo||Fine, Thomas H||Cohen, Gregory||Shirley, Edwin||Chan, Philip K||Liberzon, Israel||Calabrese, Joseph R||Galea, Sandro

publication date

  • April 2015