Bidirectional relationships among complex PTSD, dissociation, and psychotic symptoms in two samples
Creators: name: Fung, Hong Wang
name: Chau, Anson Kai Chun
name: Lam, Stanley Kam Ki
name: Ho, Grace Wing Ka
name: Ross, Colin A.
name: Wong, Ming Yu Claudia
name: Wang, Edward K. S.
name: Chien, Wai Tong
name: Wong, Janet Yuen-Ha
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2025
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Microbiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Mental Health
subject: Computational Biology
subject: Cardiology

description: <b>Background:</b> Although trauma-related symptoms (e.g. complex PTSD and dissociative symptoms) and psychotic symptoms often co-occur, little is known about the complex relationships among these symptoms over time. <b>Objective:</b> This study examined the bidirectional relationships among complex PTSD symptoms, dissociative symptoms, and positive symptoms of psychosis. <b>Methods:</b> This study analyzed available longitudinal data from two convenience samples (Sample 1: <i>N</i> = 214, Chinese-speaking adults; Sample 2: <i>N</i> = 301, English-speaking adults). Participants in both samples completed validated measures of ICD-11 complex PTSD (that included measurement of ‘classical’ PTSD), dissociation, and positive symptoms of psychosis at baseline and follow-up, six months (Sample 1) or 12 months (Sample 2) apart. A cross-lagged panel model was used to examine the longitudinal relationship between trauma-related symptoms and psychotic symptoms in each sample. <b>Results:</b> In Sample 1, baseline dissociative symptoms significantly predicted positive symptoms of psychosis at follow-up. In Sample 2, no significant longitudinal relationships between trauma-related and psychotic symptoms were observed. In both samples, baseline disturbances in self-organization (DSO) symptoms predicted ‘classical’ PTSD symptoms at follow-up. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study made the first attempt to examine the longitudinal relationships among ICD-11 complex PTSD symptoms, dissociative symptoms, and psychotic symptoms. The inconsistent findings point to the importance of further research on the longitudinal relationships between trauma-related and psychotic symptoms. Moreover, our results indicate that addressing DSO symptoms may be important in the prevention and treatment of PTSD symptoms. Trauma-related symptoms and psychotic symptoms commonly co-occur.Baseline dissociative symptoms predicted positive symptoms of psychosis in the Chinese-speaking sample, but not in the English-speaking sample.Psychotic symptoms did not predict trauma-related symptoms in both samples.DSO symptoms predicted classical PTSD symptoms. Trauma-related symptoms and psychotic symptoms commonly co-occur. Baseline dissociative symptoms predicted positive symptoms of psychosis in the Chinese-speaking sample, but not in the English-speaking sample. Psychotic symptoms did not predict trauma-related symptoms in both samples. DSO symptoms predicted classical PTSD symptoms.