Abstract
This present study examined the structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a large sample of Chinese adolescents
exposed to a deadly earthquake. A total of 2,800 middle school students aged 12 to 18 years participated in the study 6 months
after the “Wenchuan Earthquake”. Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a five-factor intercorrelated model
composed of intrusion, avoidance, numbing, dysphoric arousal, and anxious arousal, fit data significantly better than both
the four-factor numbing model King et al. (Psychological Assessment 10:90–96, 1998) and the four-factor dysphoria model Simms et al. (Journal of Abnormal Psychology 111:637–647, 2002). Further examination of the external convergent and discriminant validity revealed that except for the dysphoric arousal
factor, the remaining four PTSD factors yielded significantly different correlations with external measures of anxiety vs.
depression. The findings add to the limited literature on the factor structure of PTSD in youths and on the five-factor PTSD
model. In addition, they provide more detail into the latent psychopathological processes of PTSD, and inform the forthcoming
DSM-5.
exposed to a deadly earthquake. A total of 2,800 middle school students aged 12 to 18 years participated in the study 6 months
after the “Wenchuan Earthquake”. Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a five-factor intercorrelated model
composed of intrusion, avoidance, numbing, dysphoric arousal, and anxious arousal, fit data significantly better than both
the four-factor numbing model King et al. (Psychological Assessment 10:90–96, 1998) and the four-factor dysphoria model Simms et al. (Journal of Abnormal Psychology 111:637–647, 2002). Further examination of the external convergent and discriminant validity revealed that except for the dysphoric arousal
factor, the remaining four PTSD factors yielded significantly different correlations with external measures of anxiety vs.
depression. The findings add to the limited literature on the factor structure of PTSD in youths and on the five-factor PTSD
model. In addition, they provide more detail into the latent psychopathological processes of PTSD, and inform the forthcoming
DSM-5.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9508-4
- Authors
- Li Wang, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Di Long, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Zhongquan Li, Department of Psychology, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Cherie Armour, National Centre for Psychotraumatology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense Campus, Funnen, Denmark
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627