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Debate exists in the trauma literature regarding the role of dissociation in traumatic stress disorders. With the release of the new ICD-11 diagnostic guideline for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD), this issue warrants further attention. In the current study, we provide a preliminary assessment of the associations between ICD-11 CPTSD and dissociative experiences. This study is based on a sample (N = 106) of highly traumatized clinical patients from the United Kingdom who completed measures of traumatic stress and dissociative experiences. The majority of participants met the diagnostic criteria for CPTSD (69.1%, n = 67), with few patients qualifying for a diagnosis of PTSD (9.3%, n = 9). Those with CPTSD had significantly higher levels of dissociative experiences compared to those with PTSD (Cohen's d = 1.04) and those with no diagnosis (Cohen's d = 1.44). Three CPTSD symptom clusters were multivariately associated with dissociation: Affective Dysregulation (β =.33), Re-experiencing in the here and now (β =.24), and Disturbed Relationships (β =.22). These findings indicate that dissociative experiences are particularly relevant for clinical patients with CPTSD. Future longitudinal work will be needed to determine if dissociation is a risk factor for, or outcome of, CPTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Following the recently published 11th version of the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), we sought to examine the risk factors and comorbidities associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD).Method: Cross-sectional and retrospective design. The sample consisted of 1,051 trauma-exposed participants from a nationally representative panel of the UK adult population.Results: A total of 5.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.0-6.7%) met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and 12.9% (95% CI = 10.9-15.0%) for CPTSD. Diagnosis of PTSD was independently associated with being female, being in a relationship, and the recency of traumatic exposure. CPTSD was independently associated with younger age, interpersonal trauma in childhood, and interpersonal trauma in adulthood. Growing up in an urban environment was associated with the diagnosis of PTSD and CPTSD. High rates of physical and mental health comorbidity were observed for PTSD and CPTSD. Those with CPTSD were more likely to endorse symptoms reflecting major depressive disorder (odds ratio [OR] = 21.85, 95 CI = 12.51-38.04) and generalized anxiety disorder (OR = 24.63, 95 CI = 14.77-41.07). Presence of PTSD (OR = 3.13, 95 CI = 1.81-5.41) and CPTSD (OR = 3.43, 95 CI = 2.37-4.70) increased the likelihood of suicidality by more than three times. Nearly half the participants with PTSD and CPTSD reported the presence of a chronic illness.Conclusions: CPTSD is a more common, comorbid, debilitating condition compared to PTSD. Further research is now required to identify effective interventions for its treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ICD-11 reconceptualized Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a narrowly defined fear-based disorder, and introduced Complex PTSD (CPTSD) as a new diagnosis comprised of PTSD symptoms and symptoms of 'Disturbances in Self-Organization' (DSO) that are more reflective of general dysphoria. Previous research suggests that PTSD symptoms mediate the association between childhood trauma and physical health problems, including cardiovascular disease. No study has yet assessed how posttraumatic stress symptoms, as outlined in the ICD-11, influence the association between childhood trauma and somatic problems in adulthood.Objective: This cross-sectional descriptive study examined whether PTSD and DSO symptoms mediated the associations between childhood physical and sexual abuse and childhood emotional abuse and neglect and somatic problems and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) load in adulthood.Methods: General adult population samples from Ireland (N = 1020) and the United Kingdom (N = 1051) completed self-report questionnaires online.Results: Structural equation modelling results indicated that PTSD and DSO symptoms fully mediated the association between both forms of childhood trauma and somatic problems, and that PTSD symptoms but not DSO symptoms fully mediated the association between childhood trauma and CVD load.Conclusion: Psychological interventions that effectively treat CPTSD symptoms may have the added benefit of reducing risk of physical health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is traditionally understood as a disorder that occurs more commonly in women than in men, and in younger age groups than in older age groups. The objective of this study was to determine if these patterns are also observed in relation to International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) PTSD and complex PTSD (CPTSD)., Methods: Secondary data analysis was performed using data collected from three nationally representative samples from the Republic of Ireland (N = 1,020), the United States (N = 1,839), and Israel (N = 1,003), and one community sample from the United Kingdom (N = 1,051)., Results: Estimated prevalence rates of ICD-11 PTSD were higher in women than in men in each sample, and at a level consistent with existing data derived from Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-based models of PTSD. Furthermore, rates of ICD-11 PTSD were generally lower in older age groups for men and women. For CPTSD, there was inconsistent evidence of sex and age differences, and some indication of a possible interaction between these two demographic variables., Conclusions: Despite considerable revisions to PTSD in ICD-11, the same sex and age profile was observed to previous DSM-based models of PTSD. CPTSD, however, does not appear to show the same sex and age differences as PTSD. Theoretical models that seek to explain sex and age differences in trauma-related psychopathology may need to be reconsidered given the distinct effects for ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD.