Premium
Factorial invariance of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms across three veteran samples
Author(s) -
McDonald Scott D.,
Beckham Jean C.,
Morey Rajendra,
Marx Christine,
Tupler Larry A.,
Calhoun Patrick S.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20344
Subject(s) - nosology , psychology , posttraumatic stress , clinical psychology , confirmatory factor analysis , psychiatry , measurement invariance , psychometrics , structural equation modeling , statistics , mathematics
Research generally supports a 4‐factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. However, few studies have established factor invariance by comparing multiple groups. This study examined PTSD symptom structure using the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) across three veteran samples: treatment‐seeking Vietnam‐era veterans, treatment‐seeking post‐Vietnam‐era veterans, and Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veteran research participants. Confirmatory factor analyses of DTS items demonstrated that a 4‐factor structural model of the DTS (reexperiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) was superior to five alternate models, including the conventional 3‐factor model proposed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ( DSM‐IV ; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Results supported factor invariance across the three veteran cohorts, suggesting that cross‐group comparisons are interpretable. Implications and applications for DSM‐IV nosology and the validity of symptom measures are discussed.