Patterns of Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms After Childhood Trauma and Their Correlations with Positive Psychological Functioning

While previous studies have acknowledged the distinction between complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a critical research gap exists in examining the differences in positive functioning between these two disorders. This study addresses the distinction between CPTSD and PTSD, focusing on positive psychological functioning among Chinese young adults with childhood trauma. PTSD and CPTSD symptoms were measured by the International Trauma Questionnaire. Positive psychological functioning was measured by the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Face Scale. A total of 1393 individuals met the inclusion criteria, including 486 males and 907 females, with an average age of 20.06 years (SD = 1.36). Through latent profile analysis, we revealed a 4-class model comprising the Low symptoms, Disturbance in self-organization disorder (DSO), PTSD, and CPTSD groups. Moreover, the findings revealed that individuals in the PTSD group exhibited the highest levels of both meaning presence and meaning search, followed by the Low symptoms, CPTSD, and DSO groups. Noteworthy, individuals in the CPTSD and DSO groups reported relatively diminished positive psychological functioning. The present study sheds light on the differences in positive adaptation across psychopathological consequences among young Chinese adults with childhood trauma. Generally, this study provided empirical support for the independent diagnosis of CPTSD. Importantly, the CPTSD group and DSO group showed lower positive adaptation compared to the PTSD group, highlighting the profound adverse effects of CPTSD symptoms on daily life.