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A Comparison of Multidimensional Health Profiles across Three Trauma-Exposed Diagnostic Groups

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Abstract

Posttraumatic stress disorder has been associated with adverse health outcomes. The extent to which the health effects of PTSD differ from other diagnoses has not been explored empirically. The current study investigated the Multidimensional Health Profile (including both Psychosocial and Health factors), across three diagnostic groups and one group of well-adjusted participants (N = 92) in a contrasted-groups design. Participants were all trauma-exposed and were assessed using structured clinical interviews. The PTSD and depression groups tended to differ from the social phobia and well-adjusted groups. Both the PTSD and depression groups demonstrated elevated profiles on variables assessing psychological distress, negative social exchange, and hypochondriasis. Results are consistent with prior research suggesting PTSD is associated with worse psychological and health functioning relative to trauma-exposed individuals without PTSD, although these health outcomes seem to differ little between those with PTSD and those with depression.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA016120) to Meghan E. McDevitt-Murphy and by the Tennessee Board of Regents.

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Correspondence to Meghan E. McDevitt-Murphy.

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Williams, J.L., McDevitt-Murphy, M.E., Fields, J.A. et al. A Comparison of Multidimensional Health Profiles across Three Trauma-Exposed Diagnostic Groups. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 33, 531–539 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-011-9251-8

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