Examining the prevalence of complex PTSD in an inpatient DBT service for females with a primary diagnosis of EUPD

Abstract

In response to differential clinical presentations of survivors of multiple or chronic exposure to trauma, complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) has been included in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). A growing body of research has explored the prevalence of CPTSD in a range of populations, yet its prevalence in adults diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) has been subject to limited evaluation, including in individuals requiring specialist inpatient care. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was administered to 42 females with primary diagnoses of EUPD admitted to a specialist DBT service. Twenty-eight (66.8%) participants met full diagnostic criteria for either PTSD (11.9%, n=5) or CPTSD (54.8%, n=23). Additionally, PTSD and CPTSD symptomatology were highly prevalent in participants who did not meet the functional impairment criteria. Significant differences in the prevalence of CPTSD were found, dependent on whether a measure of functional impairment was included. This is the first study to explore the prevalence of CPTSD in an inpatient EUPD sample, using diagnostic thresholds. The findings highlight the importance of attending to trauma as well as EUPD-related needs. Theoretical, clinical and future research implications are discussed.