title: Racial differences in psychotic symptoms among combat veterans with PTSD.
abstract: We tested the hypothesis that race may influence clinical presentation and symptomatology in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). African-American and Caucasian veterans were administered the Psychotic Screen Module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), and other psychometric measures at a Veterans Affairs outpatient PTSD clinic. Subjects were consecutive referrals who were not matched for level of combat trauma or preexisting trauma; however, there were no group differences in other relevant demographic or diagnostic variables. Significant racial differences, with modest effect sizes, were found on clinician ratings of psychotic symptoms, MMPI-2 scale 6 ("paranoia"), and a measure of dissociation. No significant differences were found for the MMPI-2 scale 8 ("schizophrenia"), or on measures that might suggest comorbid depression or anxiety. African-Americans with PTSD endorsed more items suggesting positive symptoms of psychosis, without higher rates of primary psychosis, depression, or anxiety than Caucasians.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, Veterans Affairs Medical Center Charleston, South Carolina 29401-5799, USA. ruehbc@musc.edu
authors.forename: B Christopher
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Frueh
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hamner
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bernat
authors.forename: Samuel M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Terence M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Arana
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*