PTSD, comorbid pathology and personality among Dutch veterans: a cluster analysis
Summary
Previous research with other trauma populations demonstrated that internalising and externalising expressions of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated with different comorbid disorders and personality dimensions. The present study tested this association in a sample of 99 Dutch male veterans with PTSD. Cluster analysis was used to categorise subtypes of expressions of PTSD, using measures of comorbid depression, anxiety, substance abuse and hostility and the BIG-5 personality trait dimensions conscientiousness, neuroticism and extraversion. The results contradict previous research and suggest the existence of a low pathology cluster, a high pathology cluster and a high pathology cluster combined with substance abuse. This study is one of the first cluster-analytic investigations of Dutch veterans with PTSD, and discusses implications for future research and practical implications.