Ho, Grace W.K. and Karatzias, Thanos and Vallières, Frédérique and Bondjers, Kristina and Shevlin, Mark and Cloitre, Marylène and Ben-Ezra, Menachem and Bisson, Jonathan I. and Roberts, Neil P. and 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:	https://doi.org/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
URI:	Publisher
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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