Confirmatory factor analyses of posttraumatic stress symptoms in deployed and nondeployed veterans of the Gulf War
Author: Simms LJ, Watson D, Doebbeling BN.
Source:
Journal of abnormal psychology, 111(4), 637.
Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare 6 models of posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) symptoms, ranging from 1 to 4 factors, in a sample of 3,695
deployed Gulf War veterans (N = 1,896) and nondeployed controls (N = 1,799). The
4 correlated factors-intrusions, avoidance, hyperarousal, and dysphoria-provided
the best fit. The dysphoria factor combined traditional markers of numbing and
hyperarousal. Model superiority was cross-validated in multiple subsamples,
including a subset of deployed participants who were exposed to traumatic combat
stressors. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity correlations suggested
that intrusions may be relatively specific to PTSD, whereas dysphoria may
represent a nonspecific component of many disorders. Results are discussed in the
context of hierarchical models of anxiety and depression.