Classification of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

This chapter reviews current diagnostic criteria of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), including changes to the criteria from DSM-IV. PTSD frequently co-occurs and shares symptoms with other conditions, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Research suggests that syndromally indistinct symptoms are not sufficient to explain comorbidity and may be central to the PTSD diagnosis. The diagnostic utility and specificity of individual symptoms is discussed as is the latent structure of PTSD, MDD, and GAD. The chapter then discusses boundaries between PTSD and other commonly comorbid conditions, with an emphasis on borderline personality disorder, complicated grief, and a discussion of childhood trauma and complex PTSD. Recent evidence regarding the construct of complex PTSD is also discussed. Finally, the cross-cultural validity of the PTSD diagnosis is reviewed.