Background: In the present study, the authors investigated the relationship between the underlying symptom dimensions of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dimensions of major depressive disorder (MDD).
Method: A sample of 1266 Ohio National Guard soldiers with a history of overseas deployment participated and were administered the PTSD Checklist (assessing PTSD) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (assessing depression).
Results: Using confirmatory factor analysis, results demonstrated that both PTSD's dysphoria and hyperarousal factors were more related to depression's somatic than non-somatic factor. Furthermore, depression's somatic factor was more related to PTSD's dysphoria than hyperarousal factor.
Limitations: Limitations of this study include the use of self-report measures and a predominately male military sample.
Conclusions: Results indicate that PTSD's dysphoria factor is related to depression specifically by way of depression's somatic construct. Given PTSD's substantial dysphoria/distress component, these results have implications for understanding the nature of PTSD's high comorbidity with depression.
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