The link between trauma-related symptomatology and psychosocial disability is well-established. However, the extent to which specific PTSD symptom clusters differentially contribute to distinct psychosocial disability domains remains unclear. This study examined these associations, hypothesizing that negative alterations in mood and cognition and hyperarousal symptoms would be the strongest predictors of concurrent and future psychosocial disability. We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from 332 veterans (30% female) with a range of trauma-related symptom severity, as measured by the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5; M = 27.6, SD = 20.8). Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the unique contributions of PTSD symptom clusters to psychosocial disability across six domains-understanding/communication, mobility, self-care, interpersonal relationships, life activities, and social participation-measured four times over 24 months. Across domains, negative alterations in mood and cognition and hyperarousal symptoms emerged as the most consistent predictors of psychosocial disability, with effect sizes ranging from small (β = 0.14) to large (β = 0.53). Avoidance symptoms showed more domain-specific associations, particularly for mobility and social participation. Time effects indicated improvement in several domains, though self-care disability remained stable. PTSD symptoms explained more variance in interpersonal and social functioning than in domains related to physical functioning and self-care. Negative alterations in mood and cognition and hyperarousal symptoms exert disproportionate influence on psychosocial disability, underscoring their importance as treatment targets. Avoidance may contribute to disability in specific life domains, highlighting the need for rehabilitation strategies tailored to both broad and domain-specific impairments in veterans with trauma-related symptomatology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
ABSTRACT Background: While not all trauma-exposed individuals develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many experience severe and enduring emotional effects. In Singapore, no study has investigated the prevalence and correlates of subthreshold PTSD and PTSD using gold-standard clinical interviews. Objectives: This study was the first to examine the prevalence and correlates of PTSD, subthreshold PTSD, and correlates associated while exploring a broad range of adverse experiences, including Criterion A (e.g. physical and sexual abuse) and non-Criterion A (e.g. emotional abuse) events. Method: We recruited 500 outpatients, aged 21–65, with mood or schizophrenia spectrum disorders from Singapore’s only tertiary psychiatric hospital. Self-report measures assessed emotion dysregulation, suppression, and total trauma events. Clinical interviews, like the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), measured dissociation and PTSD, while the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale measured negative affect. Among trauma-exposed individuals (n = 461), multinomial regression examined differences between subthreshold PTSD, PTSD and the no-PTSD reference group, with analyses conducted separately for Criterion A and non-Criterion A events. Results: In the overall sample, PTSD prevalence was 15.0% and subthreshold PTSD was 18.4% among individuals with an index event classified as Criterion A. PTSD following an index event classified as Criterion A was associated with a broader range of correlates than index events classified as non-Criterion A. Conversely, among individuals exposed to events classified as non-Criterion A, PTSD was primarily associated with emotional correlates when subthreshold PTSD was defined as ‘two of four criteria.’ PTSD is also associated with a broader set of correlates than subthreshold PTSD across exposure types and subthreshold PTSD definitions. Correlates of subthreshold PTSD vary depending on exposure type. Negative affect was most frequently associated with multiple definitions of subthreshold PTSD and PTSD across trauma types. Conclusion: Findings suggest distinct symptom profiles by trauma type and emphasise the clinical relevance of non-Criterion A events and subthreshold PTSD.
C. Tan, Vanessa Ai Ling Seet, Rachel Hsiao Shen Tan et al.· European Journal of Psychotr...· 0 citations
ABSTRACT Background: The study investigates the association between personality functioning (PF) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a large naturalistic clinical sample using a network analytical approach. Objectives: It aims to determine whether the previously observed link between PF and PTSD persists after controlling for frequent comorbidities (depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms), and to identify bridges connecting both clinical constructs. Methods: A regularised partial correlation network between PF, PTSD, as well as depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms was estimated at the total scale, subdomain and item level. For this aim, data from the Multicenter Effectiveness Study of Inpatient Psychosomatic Psychotherapeutic Treatment (MEPP) were reanalysed, comprising an overall N = 1899 patients (Age: M = 39.73y, SD = 14.11, range = 18–84; female = 69%). Results: A robust conditional association between PF and PTSD (E = .31) was observed. Among PF subdomains, self-perception (E = .18), and relationship model (E = .21) showed direct links to PTSD. Symptom-level analysis identified negative beliefs (PTSD) and self-esteem, interpersonal distrust and affective dysregulation (PF) as the central bridge nodes connecting both constructs. Conclusions: The relationship between personality functioning and PTSD is specific and distinct from general distress. A treatment focus on negative self-perception, interpersonal (dis)trust and affective regulation might be a promising pathway for symptom reduction, specifically in patients with comorbid PTSD and PF impairments. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00016412..
Jürgen Fuchshuber, H. Kessler, A. Kehyayan et al.· European Journal of Psychotr...· 0 citations
OBJECTIVE
This study examines posttraumatic outcomes among highly sensitive persons (HSPs) 1 year after the October 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel, which was followed by ongoing warfare, civilian displacement, and sustained societal strain. Based on literature that suggests that HSPs are more reactive to environmental contexts, the study investigated whether HSPs reported heightened symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatization and whether adult attachment insecurity (anxiety, avoidance) moderated these associations.
METHOD
A sample of 314 Israeli adults completed measures assessing high sensitivity (HSP Scale-Brief Version), attachment orientations (Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures Questionnaire), PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition), and somatic complaints (Patient Health Questionnaire-15).
RESULTS
Multivariate regression analyses revealed that HSP significantly predicted both PTSD and somatization, indicating elevated psychological and somatic reactivity among HSPs during prolonged collective trauma. However, moderation analyses showed that neither attachment anxiety nor attachment avoidance altered the strength of the associations between HSP and posttraumatic outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that, in contexts of extreme threat, the buffering role of attachment may be reduced, such that high sensitivity emerges as a particularly salient factor in shaping distress. However, due to limitations of the study, it was not determined whether this pattern was only one of several contributing processes and other individual and contextual factors might also play a role. Overall, the results underscore the heightened vulnerability of HSPs during prolonged collective trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Alon Goldberg, Alexander Zibenberg· Psychological Trauma· 0 citations
BACKGROUND
There is extensive evidence linking specific sociodemographic and clinical factors to increased vulnerability for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, most studies have focused on community samples, and little is known about how such factors shape PTSD risk in clinical psychiatric settings in Latin America, where trauma exposure is highly prevalent. The present study addresses these gaps by examining sociodemographic characteristics and specific types of traumatic events linked to PTSD diagnosis among individuals receiving care at a tertiary mental health facility in Mexico City, Mexico.
METHODS
A cross-sectional, observational design was employed, enrolling 160 psychiatric patients. Participants were assessed for exposure to potentially traumatic events using the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). Probable PTSD was initially identified with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), followed by diagnostic confirmation using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5). Sociodemographic data, including age, sex, and educational attainment, were also collected. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify PTSD predictors, with a significance set at p < 0.05.
RESULTS
The frequency of PTSD in the sample was 31.9%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that sexual aggression was the strongest independent predictor of PTSD (odds ratio (OR) = 38.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 10.59-139.95; p < 0.001). Other significant predictors included being female (OR = 8.09; 95% CI: 1.60-40.86; p < 0.001) and over 30 years old (OR = 2.86; 95% CI: 1.13-7.24; p < 0.05). The model demonstrated good overall fit (Pearson χ2 p = 0.673) and explained a moderate proportion of the variance (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.550).
CONCLUSIONS
Sexual aggression, female sex, and older age were significantly associated with a PTSD diagnosis among psychiatric trauma survivors. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating trauma-informed care principles and systematic screening for sexual violence into mental health settings to improve diagnostic accuracy and optimize interventions for this population.
Laura Estefanía Mora Ortiz, Ilyamín Merlín García, Rebeca Robles García· Actas espanolas de psiquiatr...· 0 citations
OBJECTIVE
Trauma-related symptoms are known to be highly prevalent in eating disorder (ED) populations but there has been limited research on complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). The current study used latent profile analysis to examine trauma-related subgroups among clients with EDs and associations with ED severity and other outcomes.
METHODS
Participants (N = 378) attending residential, day program, and outpatient ED services completed measures of ED symptoms, body mass index (BMI), ED-related impairment, depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms (based on ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD criteria, and dissociation) at admission.
RESULTS
Latent profile analysis identified four trauma profiles: 1) high disturbances in self-organisation (DSO), 2) CPTSD (high on both PTSD and DSO symptoms, and severe dissociation), 3) general distress (moderate outcomes across all domains), and 4) no/mild trauma-related symptoms. After adjusting for level of care, profiles significantly differed on all outcomes except BMI, ED diagnosis, and objective binges. Groups 1 and 2 reported more severe ED and comorbid symptoms than groups 3 and 4, with group 2 also being more severe than group 1 on total ED psychopathology, eating concerns, purging, and anxiety.
DISCUSSION
Findings support previous research on the high prevalence of trauma-related symptoms in EDs, with DSO symptoms (unique to CPTSD) appearing to drive much of the association with ED symptom severity. ED services may benefit from targeted use of trauma-focused therapies for individuals presenting with high DSO symptoms, both in the presence and absence of severe PTSD symptomatology.
Sinead Day, Nora Trompeter, Mandy Goldstein et al.· Journal of Eating Disorders· 0 citations
Abstract Background Among military veterans, loneliness is common and associated with poorer mental and physical health and functioning. Epidemiological studies have revealed bidirectional, longitudinal associations between loneliness and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Little is known about loneliness among treatment-seeking veterans, how loneliness impacts PTSD symptom change during treatment, and whether loneliness has differential associations with specific PTSD symptom clusters. Method Data were derived from the Veterans Outcome Assessment, an annual, repeated-measures (baseline and 3-month follow-up) telephone survey of patients beginning new episodes of mental health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Participants were 1,155 veterans (23% women) entering PTSD specialty care. We tested whether baseline loneliness predicted change in total PTSD symptom severity and according to the five-factor Dysphoric Arousal model of PTSD using hierarchical regressions in which we statistically adjusted for demographics and mental health encounters. Results Loneliness decreased between baseline and 3-month follow-up (d = 0.39). Baseline loneliness predicted change in PTSD for the dysphoric arousal and negative alterations in cognitions and mood symptom clusters, with lonelier veterans demonstrating more PTSD change between baseline and follow-up. However, lonelier veterans also had more severe PTSD symptoms at both timepoints. This pattern of results held even after accounting for different types of treatment encounters between timepoints. Conclusions While lonelier veterans have more severe PTSD symptoms, they also make greater improvements in symptoms salient to interpersonal functioning over time. Assessment of loneliness should be incorporated into PTSD treatment planning and considered as a treatment target that could be addressed to promote recovery.
Lauren M. Sippel, R. Chilton, Amy Hoang et al.· Psychological Medicine· 0 citations