title: Confirmatory factor analyses of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in psychiatric samples differing in Criterion A status.
abstract: We examined the symptom structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as defined by American Psychiatric Association (2013. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author). DSM-5 introduced notable changes to PTSD criteria, and the structural impact of these changes is unclear. We conducted confirmatory factor analyses comparing seven commonly investigated or recently proposed PTSD models in a large sample of interviewed psychiatric outpatients reporting a Criterion A trauma (n = 310) or a sub-threshold (non-Criterion A) stressful life event (n = 284). A novel six-factor dysphoria model and recently proposed seven-factor hybrid model outperformed other models and fit the data equally well in both groups. Our results suggest equal fit for both models, although the six-factor model is more parsimonious. These results have implications for research regarding the mechanisms underlying and the treatments targeting PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. Electronic address: zelazny@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zelazny
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
authors.forename: Leonard J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Simms
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059445:Anhedonia / Q000502:physiology; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Confirmatory factor analysis; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Symptoms