Forensic Assessment of PTSD Via DSM-5 Versus ICD-11 Criteria: Implications for Current Practice and Future Research

Abstract

Recognition of the high prevalence of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress symptoms among adult and youth offenders has inspired calls for justice systems to engage in trauma-informed practices, particularly with regard to the assessment of trauma histories and posttraumatic reactions in legal contexts. Accordingly, skills in trauma assessment have become essential professional competencies for those conducting psychological evaluations in the justice system. However, there are a number of challenges to effective practice, including the existence of two distinctly different sets of diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the DSM-5 versus ICD-11; controversies over whether separate diagnostic entities comprising complex PTSD and developmental trauma disorder are valid; limitations of the existing measures for assessing and diagnosing the disorder(s); difficulties with differential diagnosis of overlapping disorders and detection of malingering; and limited attention to cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity in the idioms and expressions of posttraumatic stress reactions. The present article reviews these challenges and offers recommendations for future research and clinical practice.