A review of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), diagnosis, evaluation and treatment

The 11th edition of the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD11) has defined Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) as a new and different condition from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This article studied published research findings from 1992 to 2023 related to causative factors,  symptoms, assessment tools, differential diagnosis, and treatment of  CPTSD from Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Pubmed with a narrative reviewing method. Its methodology is based on the collection, classification, and summarizing of the findings of scientific articles. For this purpose, the keywords of trauma, CPTSD, and PTSD were used. 86 articles were selected in the initial search, and 39 articles related to childhood trauma and CPTSD and the difference between PTSD and CPTSD  were selected. The results showed that CPTSD  is a separate disorder from PTSD, whose symptoms and diagnostic tools are different from PTSD. The combination of insecure attachment and emotional dysregulation are the underlying factors in the development of CPTSD as a result of childhood trauma. due to the newness of this disorder, little research about its treatment has been done and more studies are needed.