Gender differences in associations between DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters and functional impairment in war veterans.

Understanding the links between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and functional impairment is essential for assisting veterans in transitioning to civilian life. Moreover, there may be differences between men and women in the relationships between PTSD symptoms and functional impairment. However, no prior studies have examined the links between functional impairment and the revised symptom clusters as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.

The structure of DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in war veterans.

Background And Objectives: 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).

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

Methods: 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.