Posttraumatic stress disorder in DSM-5: Estimates of prevalence and symptom structure in a nonclinical sample of college students

We empirically investigated recent proposed changes to the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis for DSM-5 using a non-clinical sample. A web survey was administered to 585 college students using the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire to assess for trauma exposure but with additions for the proposed traumatic stressor changes in DSM-5 PTSD. For the 216 subjects endorsing previous trauma exposure and nominating a worst traumatic event, we administered the original PTSD Symptom Scale based on DSM-IV PTSD symptom criteria and an adapted version for DSM-5 symptoms, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. While 67% of participants endorsed at least one traumatic event based on DSM-IV PTSD's trauma classification, 59% of participants would meet DSM-5 PTSD's proposed trauma classification. Estimates of current PTSD prevalence were .4–1.8% points higher for the DSM-5 (vs. the DSM-IV) diagnostic algorithm. The DSM-5 symptom set fit the data very well based on confirmatory factor analysis, and neither symptom set's factors were more correlated with depression.

► The prevalence of trauma exposure decreased from 67% when using DSM-IV PTSD criteria, to 59% using DSM-5 criteria.
► Estimates of PTSD's prevalence increased by about one-half to two percentage points when using DSM-5 PTSD criteria.
► The DSM-5 PTSD model fit the data well based on confirmatory factor analysis.