Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
Volume 11, Issue 2, 2019, Pages 165-175

The complexity of trauma exposure and response: Profiling PTSD and CPTSD among a refugee sample (Article)

Frost R.* , Hyland P. , McCarthy A. , Halpin R. , Shevlin M. , Murphy J.
  • a School of Psychology, Ulster University, United Kingdom, The Collaborative Network for Training and Excellence in Psychotraumatology (CONTEXT), Dublin, Ireland
  • b School of Business, National College of Ireland and CONTEXT, Ireland
  • c Clinical Services Department, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Ireland, CONTEXT, Ireland
  • d CONTEXT, Ireland, Spiritan Asylum Services Initiative, Dublin, Ireland
  • e School of Psychology, Ulster University, United Kingdom, CONTEXT, Ireland
  • f School of Psychology, Ulster University, United Kingdom, CONTEXT, Ireland

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the latent dimensional and categorical structure of ICD-11 complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) within a refugee sample. Method: A subsample that identified as refugee (n = 308) was selected from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Factor mixture modeling (FMM) was employed to establish the dimensional structure of CPTSD symptomology and the categorical distribution of these dimensions. It was then evaluated whether trauma history could differentiate between the distribution of trauma response profiles. Results: A correlated 6-factor model with 5 latent classes was the best fitting model. Two classes were characterized by symptom profiles that were consistent with ICD-11 CPTSD and PTSD formulations. The remaining classes were characterized by nonspecific variation across dimensions. CPTSD class membership was predicted by traumas that were predominantly interpersonal in nature (serious neglect, physical assault, and sexual assault), whereas PTSD class membership was predicted by situational traumatic experiences (unarmed civilian in a conflict environment and a serious accident). A distinct dose-response effect was evident between cumulative traumatic exposure and CPTSD class membership. Conclusion: FMM class profiles distinguished between PTSD and CPTSD symptom formulations. Moreover, class membership was determined by specific trauma-exposure histories. © 2018 American Psychological Association.

Author Keywords

posttraumatic stress Complex posttraumatic stress Refugee ICD-11

Index Keywords

refugee human Refugees middle aged International Classification of Diseases Aged United States Young Adult Humans psychology male female Aged, 80 and over very elderly adult posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Sex Offenses exposure to violence sexual crime
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85055123662&doi=10.1037%2ftra0000408&partnerID=40&md5=fcb8951e6b3efd8c4653c449241e618d
DOI: 10.1037/tra0000408
ISSN: 19429681
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English