@article{ref1,
title="Comparing the network structure of ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD in three African countries",
journal="Journal of psychiatric research",
year="2021",
author="Levin, Yafit and Hyland, Philip and Karatzias, Thanos and Shevlin, Mark and Bachem, Rahel and Maercker, Andreas and Ben-Ezra, Menachem",
volume="136",
number="",
pages="80-86",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Symptom network analysis has become an essential tool for researchers and clinicians investigating the structure of mental disorders. Two methods have been used; one relies on partial correlations, and the second relies on zero order correlations with forced-directed algorithm. This combination was used to examine symptom connections for ICD-11 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (CPTSD) as the symptoms for these disorders have been known to be organized in a multi-dimensional and hierarchical fashion. We aimed to examine whether networks of ICD-11 CPTSD symptoms reproduced across samples from three African countries. <br><br>METHODS: We produced network models based on data from 2524 participants in Nigeria (n = 1018), Kenya (n = 1006), and Ghana (n = 500). PTSD and CPTSD symptoms were measured using the International Trauma Questionnaire (Cloitre et al., 2018). <br><br>RESULTS: The CPTSD network analysis using force-directed method alongside partial correlations based on Gaussian Graphical Models (GGM) revealed the multidimensional-hierarchal structure of CPTSD. The within-cluster symptoms of Disturbances in Self Organization (DSO) and PTSD were strongly correlated with each other in all networks, and the cross-cluster symptoms were lower. The most central symptom was 'feelings of worthlessness', a symptom of Negative Self-Concept that is part of the CPTSD cluster. The networks were very similar across the three countries. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the ICD-11 model of PTSD and CPTSD in three African countries.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-3956",
doi="10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.041",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.041"
}