TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist and DSM-5 PTSD symptom set in a long-term post-earthquake cohort in Armenia
JO  - Assessment
A1  - Demirchyan, Anahit
A1  - Goenjian, Armen K.
A1  - Khachadourian, Vahe
SP  - 594
EP  - 606
VL  - 22
IS  - 5
N2  - Psychometric properties of the Armenian-language posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C) and the DSM-5 PTSD symptom set were examined in a long-term cohort of earthquake survivors. In 2012, 725 survivors completed the instruments. Item-/scale-level analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed for both scales. In addition, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted for DSM-5 symptoms. Also, the differential internal versus external specificity of PTSD symptom clusters taken from the most supported PTSD structural models was examined. Both scales had Cronbach's alpha greater than.9. CFA of PCL-C structure demonstrated an excellent fit by a four-factor (reexperiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) model known as numbing model; however, a superior fit was achieved by a five-factor model (Elhai et al.). EFA yielded a five-factor structure for DSM-5 symptoms with the aforementioned four domains plus a negative state domain. This model achieved an acceptable fit during CFA, whereas the DSM-5 criteria-based model did not. The Armenian-language PCL-C was recommended as a valid PTSD screening tool. The study findings provided support to the proposed new classification of common mental disorders, where PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety are grouped together as a subclass of distress disorders. Recommendations were made to further improve the PTSD diagnostic criteria.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1073-1911
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1073191114555523
ID  - ref1
ER  -