Latent profile analyses of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms in trauma-exposed soldiers

Ateka A Contractor; Jon D Elhai; Thomas H Fine; Marijo B Tamburrino; Gregory Cohen; Edwin Shirley; Philip K Chan; Israel Liberzon; Sandro Galea; Joseph R Calabrese

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.05.014

Latent profile analyses of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms in trauma-exposed soldiers

J Psychiatr Res. 2015 Sep:68:19-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.05.014. Epub 2015 May 30.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, 2801 West Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606-3390, USA; Brown University, Box Box G-BH, Division of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
² Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, 2801 West Bancroft St., Toledo, OH 43606-3390, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Ruppert Health Center, Basement, Room # 0079, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo, OH 43614, USA. Electronic address: http://www.jon-elhai.com.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Ruppert Health Center, Basement, Room # 0079, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
⁴ Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, USA; University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, USA.
⁶ Mental Health Service, VA Ann Arbor Health System, 2215 Fuller Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁷ Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, USA; School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, USA.

PMID: 26228395
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.05.014

Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD; Kessler et al., 1995) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; Brown et al., 2001). We aimed to (1) assess discrete patterns of post-trauma PTSD-depression-GAD symptoms using latent profile analyses (LPAs), and (2) assess covariates (gender, income, education, age) in defining the best fitting class solution. The PTSD Checklist (assessing PTSD symptoms), GAD-7 scale (assessing GAD symptoms), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (assessing depression) were administered to 1266 trauma-exposed Ohio National Guard soldiers. Results indicated three discrete subgroups based on symptom patterns with mild (class 1), moderate (class 2) and severe (class 3) levels of symptomatology. Classes differed in symptom severity rather than symptom type. Income and education significantly predicted class 1 versus class 3 membership, and class 2 versus class 3. In conclusion, there is heterogeneity regarding severity of PTSD-depression-GAD symptomatology among trauma-exposed soldiers, with income and education predictive of class membership.

Keywords: Depression; GAD; Latent profile analyses; PTSD; Trauma-exposed soldiers.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety Disorders / etiology*
Depression / etiology*
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Military Personnel
Models, Statistical
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Retrospective Studies
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / etiology*
Stress Disorders, Traumatic / classification*
Stress Disorders, Traumatic / complications*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Trauma Severity Indices
Young Adult