Citation

Vang ML, Nielsen SB, Auning-Hansen M, Elklit A. Torture 2019; 29(3): 27-45.

Affiliation

Rehabilitation Center for Torture Survivors (RCT-Jutland), Haderslev, Denmark. aelklit@health.sdu.dk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims)

DOI

10.7146/torture.v29i3.115367

PMID

31984942

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The WHO has proposed posttraumatic stress (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (CPTSD) trauma-related sibling-disorders in ICD-11. The proposal has received support from research among clinical and community samples alike but only few studies have tested the validity of these disorders in a sample of refugees using the International Trauma Questionnaire especially designed for assessment of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD.

METHODS: Latent class analysis was used to test the validity of the ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD distinction in a heterogeneous group of 284 highly symptomatic refugees registered for treatment at a Danish treatment-center.

RESULTS: A two-class solution fit the data best. One group reported elevated levels of PTSD-symptoms and symptoms of affective dysregulation, and one group reported elevated levels of symptoms corresponding to CPTSD. The CPTSD group was considerably larger than the PTSD-group.

DISCUSSION: The current study supports the ICD-11 distinction between PTSD and CPTSD in a sample of treatment-seeking refugees. The assistance of interpreters was needed for some of the participants which affected the reliability of the assessment.

CONCLUSION: The ICD-11 proposal for PTSD and CPTSD is supported in a heterogenous sample of refugees using the ITQ.

Language: en