Change Patterns of Posttraumatic and Grief Disorders and Their Somatic Variables in Ongoing Trauma

What are the change patterns of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD (CPTSD), and prolonged grief disorder (PGD) during continuous trauma, and how are they associated with somatization and pain over time?In this cohort study of 2028 Israeli adults, PTSD and CPTSD rates decreased from 5 weeks post– to 1 year post–October 7, 2023; PGD remained stable. Chronic, delayed, and shift patterns were associated with greater somatization and pain.These findings suggest that prolonged psychological distress is associated with greater somatic burden, reflecting the need for large-scale integrated trauma-informed care addressing mental and physical health.

Corresponding Author: Yafit Levin, PhD, School of Social Work, Ariel University, Kiryat Hamada 3 St, 40700 Ariel, Israel (yafitl@ariel.ac.il).

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