The structure of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war veterans.
The present research examined the underlying factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as conceptualized in the recently published fifth edition of the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5).



Participants were 258 trauma-exposed Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans.



A self-report measure of PTSD symptoms was administered to all participants and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to compare several different models of PTSD.



CFA revealed that the best-fitting model was a six-factor model in which symptoms loaded onto the factors of intrusion, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, dysphoric arousal, and anxious arousal.



These findings have important implications for ongoing conceptualization of PTSD and suggest that additional modifications to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD may still be warranted to more accurately reflect the underlying structure of PTSD symptoms.
a Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 17 , Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans , Waco , TX , USA.|b Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System , Temple , TX , USA.|c Texas A&M University Health Science Center , College of Medicine , College Station , TX , USA.
Brian
B
Konecky
a Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 17 , Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans , Waco , TX , USA.|b Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System , Temple , TX , USA.|c Texas A&M University Health Science Center , College of Medicine , College Station , TX , USA.
Eric C
EC
Meyer
d Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Durham , NC , USA.|e VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education, and Clinical Center , Durham , NC , USA.|f Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Duke `University Medical Center , Durham , NC , USA.
Nathan A
NA
Kimbrel
a Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 17 , Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans , Waco , TX , USA.|b Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System , Temple , TX , USA.|c Texas A&M University Health Science Center , College of Medicine , College Station , TX , USA.
Sandra B
SB
Morissette
D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
Confirmatory factor analysis; DSM-5; PTSD; military; posttraumatic stress disorder; trauma; veterans