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The structure of posttraumatic stress symptoms in youth with and without obsessive-compulsive disorder: New insights using factor and network analysis

Pinciotti, Caitlin M. ; Cervin, Matti LU ; Drummond, Kendall ; Shahidullah, Jeffrey ; Rousseau, Justin ; Dodd, Cody ; Ramirez, Mercedes ; Hettema, John ; Richmond, Robyn and Taylor, Leslie , et al. (2025) In Journal of Mood & Anxiety Disorders 11.
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share ostensibly similar and sometimes overlapping symptoms that complicate diagnostic assessment and conceptualization. While varying models for the symptom structure of PTSD have been proposed – including the presently used 4-factor and a more fine-grained 7-factor model – little research has focused on youth and even less is known about how these symptoms relate to one another when OCD is present. The present study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network analysis to compare PTSD symptom relations among 2066 trauma-exposed youth aged 8–20 enrolled in the Texas Childhood Trauma Research Network, of which 10.9 % met diagnostic criteria for OCD. CFA... (More)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share ostensibly similar and sometimes overlapping symptoms that complicate diagnostic assessment and conceptualization. While varying models for the symptom structure of PTSD have been proposed – including the presently used 4-factor and a more fine-grained 7-factor model – little research has focused on youth and even less is known about how these symptoms relate to one another when OCD is present. The present study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network analysis to compare PTSD symptom relations among 2066 trauma-exposed youth aged 8–20 enrolled in the Texas Childhood Trauma Research Network, of which 10.9 % met diagnostic criteria for OCD. CFA model fit was strongest for the 7-factor PTSD model, and multigroup CFA found no evidence that the structure differed as a function of OCD diagnosis, sex, nor age group. Internal consistency in the 7-factor model ranged from poor to good (α = 0.59–0.80), while all clusters of the 4-factor model demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α = 0.75–0.89). Network analysis revealed unique associations between PTSD and OCD. Specifically, having OCD was linked to more Negative Affect (edge = 0.15) and Anhedonia (edge = 0.16), which are both part of the 4-factor Negative Alterations in Cognitions and Mood symptom cluster. While the clinical relevance of the 7-factor model is still unclear, it evidenced mixed empirical support in the present sample and provided greater nuance when examining links between PTSD and OCD. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Mood & Anxiety Disorders
volume
11
article number
100135
external identifiers
  • pmid:40822598
  • scopus:105009015131
DOI
10.1016/j.xjmad.2025.100135
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c42c207c-629f-4d2b-b1b2-24cdd3c485ac
date added to LUP
2025-09-05 11:58:34
date last changed
2025-10-14 12:26:02
@article{c42c207c-629f-4d2b-b1b2-24cdd3c485ac,
  abstract     = {{Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share ostensibly similar and sometimes overlapping symptoms that complicate diagnostic assessment and conceptualization. While varying models for the symptom structure of PTSD have been proposed – including the presently used 4-factor and a more fine-grained 7-factor model – little research has focused on youth and even less is known about how these symptoms relate to one another when OCD is present. The present study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network analysis to compare PTSD symptom relations among 2066 trauma-exposed youth aged 8–20 enrolled in the Texas Childhood Trauma Research Network, of which 10.9 % met diagnostic criteria for OCD. CFA model fit was strongest for the 7-factor PTSD model, and multigroup CFA found no evidence that the structure differed as a function of OCD diagnosis, sex, nor age group. Internal consistency in the 7-factor model ranged from poor to good (α = 0.59–0.80), while all clusters of the 4-factor model demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α = 0.75–0.89). Network analysis revealed unique associations between PTSD and OCD. Specifically, having OCD was linked to more Negative Affect (edge = 0.15) and Anhedonia (edge = 0.16), which are both part of the 4-factor Negative Alterations in Cognitions and Mood symptom cluster. While the clinical relevance of the 7-factor model is still unclear, it evidenced mixed empirical support in the present sample and provided greater nuance when examining links between PTSD and OCD.}},
  author       = {{Pinciotti, Caitlin M. and Cervin, Matti and Drummond, Kendall and Shahidullah, Jeffrey and Rousseau, Justin and Dodd, Cody and Ramirez, Mercedes and Hettema, John and Richmond, Robyn and Taylor, Leslie and Monnat, Lynn and Proch, Leslie and Teng, Fei and Goodman, Wayne and Storch, Eric and Guzick, Andrew and Newport, Jeffrey and Wagner, Karen and Nemeroff, Charles}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  series       = {{Journal of Mood & Anxiety Disorders}},
  title        = {{The structure of posttraumatic stress symptoms in youth with and without obsessive-compulsive disorder: New insights using factor and network analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.xjmad.2025.100135}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.xjmad.2025.100135}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}