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    Complex PTSD symptoms mediate the association between childhood trauma and physical health problems


    Ho, Grace W.K., Karatzias, Thanos, Vallières, Frédérique, Bondjers, Kristina, Shevlin, Mark, Cloitre, Marylène, Ben-Ezra, Menachem, Bisson, Jonathan I., Roberts, Neil P., Astill Wright, Laurence and Hyland, Philip (2021) Complex PTSD symptoms mediate the association between childhood trauma and physical health problems. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 142. p. 110358. ISSN 0022-3999

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    Abstract

    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.
    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: PTSD; Complex PTSD; Childhood trauma; Somatic problems; Cardiovascular disease;
    Academic Unit: Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute
    Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
    Item ID: 18272
    Identification Number: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110358
    Depositing User: Philip Hyland
    Date Deposited: 14 Mar 2024 09:23
    Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Psychosomatic Research
    Publisher: Elsevier
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mu.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/18272
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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