Interrelations among PTSD, Complex PTSD, and depression in Syrian refugees: A network analysis.

The Syrian civil war has resulted in unprecedented displacement and psychological distress, with millions of refugees experiencing high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), and depression. This study examines the interconnections between these disorders among Syrian refugees using network analysis. Data were collected between May and October 2024 from 628 adult Syrian refugees (66.1% women; Mage = 32.09, SD = 10.95) who had migrated to Türkiye following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in March 2011. PTSD, CPTSD, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the International Trauma Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Network analysis revealed a moderately dense symptom structure, highlighting strong associations between PTSD, CPTSD, and depression. Centrality analysis identified "avoiding external reminders," "feeling down, depressed, or hopeless," and "difficulty maintaining close relationships" as central symptoms driving the network. Bridge analysis further identified "struggling to calm down after distress" as a bridge symptom linking PTSD, depression, and CPTSD. These findings underscore that identifying central and bridge symptoms may be crucial for developing more effective and personalized interventions tailored to the complex symptom profiles observed in refugee populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).