The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder, trauma centrality, interpersonal sensitivity and psychiatric co-morbidity among students in Kazakhstan: a Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

Background

Trauma can lead to trauma centrality and affect levels of interpersonal sensitivity and psychiatric co-morbidity. Whether a coexisting relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma centrality can influence levels of interpersonal sensitivity and psychiatric co-morbidity among university students from Kazakhstan is unknown.

Aim

To investigate the impact of the aforementioned co-existing relationship on interpersonal sensitivity and psychiatric co-morbidity among Kazakh university students.

Methods

597 students (F = 428, M = 169) completed questionnaires measuring PTSD, psychiatric co-morbidity, interpersonal sensitivity, and trauma centrality.

Results

28%, 32% and 40% met the criteria for full, partial and no-PTSD, respectively. Latent Class Analysis revealed a three-class solution: Class 1 (the altered-self group) with a low level of PTSD but a high level of trauma centrality, Class 2 (the traumatized-self group) with high levels of PTSD and trauma centrality and Class 3 (the low symptom group) with low levels of PTSD and trauma centrality. There were significant differences in the levels of interpersonal sensitivity and psychiatric co-morbidity across three classes.

Conclusion

There are individual differences in the display of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and trauma centrality. These differences can influence interaction with others and psychological distress.

Keywords:

• PTSD
• trauma centrality
• interpersonal sensitivity
• Latent Class Analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).