Exploring differences between the ICD-11 and DSM-5 models of PTSD: Does it matter which model is used?

Philip Hyland; Mark Shevlin; Sinead McNally; Jamie Murphy; Maj Hansen; Ask Elklit

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.11.002

Exploring differences between the ICD-11 and DSM-5 models of PTSD: Does it matter which model is used?

J Anxiety Disord. 2016 Jan:37:48-53. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.11.002. Epub 2015 Nov 17.

Authors

Philip Hyland¹, Mark Shevlin², Sinead McNally³, Jamie Murphy⁴, Maj Hansen⁵, Ask Elklit²

Affiliations

¹ National College of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: Philip.Hyland@ncirl.ie.
² Psychology Research Institute, School of Psychology, Ulster University, Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; National Centre for Psychotraumatology, Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.
³ National College of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
⁴ Psychology Research Institute, School of Psychology, Ulster University, Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
⁵ National Centre for Psychotraumatology, Department of Psychology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark.

PMID: 26618238
DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.11.002

Abstract

Alternative symptom profiles for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are presented in the DSM-5 and ICD-11. This study compared DSM-5 PTSD symptom profiles with ICD-11 PTSD symptom profiles among a large group of trauma-exposed individuals from Denmark. Covariates, and rates of co-occurrence with other psychiatric disorders were also investigated. A sample of treatment-seeking adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (n=434) were assessed using self-report measures of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. A significantly larger proportion of individuals met caseness for DSM-5 PTSD (60.0%) compared to ICD-11 PTSD (49.1%). This difference was largely attributable to low endorsement of the ICD-11 re-experiencing criteria. Replacement of the 'recurrent nightmares' symptom with the 'recurrent thoughts/memories' symptom seemed to balance the proportion of individuals meeting caseness for both taxonomies. Levels of co-occurrence with anxiety and thought disorder were higher for the DSM-5 model of PTSD compared to the ICD-11 model. Current results merit careful consideration in the selection of symptom indicators for the new ICD model of PTSD, particularly with respect to the re-experiencing symptom category.

Keywords: Anxiety; Childhood sexual abuse; DSM-5; ICD-11; Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / psychology*
Aged
Anxiety Disorders / psychology
Denmark
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders*
Female
Humans
International Classification of Diseases*
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Psychological
Self Report
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
Young Adult