Current Topics in Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), a diagnostic category which addresses the characterological changes that may occur in a survivor of chronic, prolonged abuse, has been proposed for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000). In this paper, the author examines 1) the research that has been conducted thus far to determine if cPTSD has clinical usefulness and relevance, 2) gaps in the extant research which may impact this usefulness, and 3) how the concept of cPTSD may be applied in a therapeutic setting, taking cultural variables into account.