Summary: The World Health Organization's ICD-11 proposes two distinct trauma-related conditions: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (CPTSD). Research using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) suggests that CPTSD is common in both clinical and population samples, with varying prevalence rates across countries. Preliminary evidence indicates that CPTSD may be more prevalent than PTSD in clinical samples, and the ITQ is a reliable and valid tool for distinguishing between the two conditions. Further cross-cultural research is needed to explore differences in PTSD and CPTSD prevalence, incidence, and predictors across different countries.
Citation and Link: Thanos Karatzias, Marylene Cloitre, Andreas Maercker, Evaldas Kazlauskas, Mark Shevlin, Philip Hyland, Jonathan I. Bisson, Neil P. Roberts & Chris R. Brewin (2017) PTSD and Complex PTSD: ICD-11 updates on concept and measurement in the UK, USA, Germany and Lithuania European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8:sup7, 1418103, DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2017.1418103
EFTi Editor's Notes: Study found CPTSD more prevalent than PTSD. Only based on 4 countries. Limitations of the study include need for larger samples sizes, across more countries and cultural contexts to consider the cultural-bound factors in the two siblinig conditions. Cross referencing with International Trauma Interviewing (ITI)processes, also important to increase deepening of understanding of the ITQ use and of trauma-effects globally.
Read the Original Study at European Journal of Psychotraumatology