A test of structural invariance of posttraumatic stress symptoms in female survivors of sexual and/or physical abuse or assault

Recent studies on the factor structure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms tend to support one of two four-factor structures; however, little research has examined the structural invariance of PTSD structure across trauma groups. Five previously tested models of PTSD structure were compared in a large sample (N = 2,378) of female undergraduates who are survivors of sexual and/or physical abuse or assault, using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire (PTSD-Q). The four-factor model of PTSD that included correlated factors of reexperiencing, avoidance, dysphoria, and hyperarousal exhibited the best fit for the data and was structurally invariant across the five abuse groups. Support for the four-factor dysphoria model may have important implications for revisions of the current PTSD diagnosis.