• C Laurel Franklin, Jessica L Walton, Lisa-Ann Cuccurullo, Amanda Raines, Jaqueline Ball, Amanda Vaught, Jessica L Chambliss, and Kelly P Maieritsch.
• Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, 3500 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA; Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; South Central VA MIRECC, 3500 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA. Electronic address: laurel.franklin@va.gov.
• Psychiatry Res. 2016 Dec 30; 246: 250-254.

AbstractThe Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition-5 (DSM-5) has adopted a four-factor symptom model for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that includes new symptom additions in criterion D (D2, D3, D4), negative alterations in cognition and mood. This article examines potential overlapping endorsement of these symptoms amongst one another and with the behavioral symptoms within PTSD criterion E (E1 and E3; alterations in arousal and reactivity), through the lenses of cognitive-behavioral theory. Responses of veteran participants (N=320) completing the PTSD Checklist-5 were used to determine overlap in symptom reporting. We conducted a series of direct logistic regressions to determine the predictive ability of meeting the criterion D or E symptoms based on endorsement of the target D symptoms (D2, D3, D4). Results suggest that the new cognitive and emotional symptoms of criterion D have significant overlapping content, and that thought-related symptoms are often endorsed in conjunction with their behavioral counterpoint (D2/E3; D4/E1). Our results suggest that DSM-5 criterion D symptoms may not be central to the diagnostic structure of PTSD. These symptoms add complexity and difficulty to diagnosing PTSD without adding much unique content.Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

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