Next Article in Journal
Parental Attitudes Toward ADHD Pharmacotherapy: Associations with Parental Experience of the Child’s Treatment—A Cross-Sectional Study from Poland
Previous Article in Journal
Psychometric Evaluation of the Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale-Second Edition (RCMAS-2) and Prevalence of Anxiety Among School-Aged Children in Sikkim, India
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Psychiatry International
Volume 7
Issue 2
10.3390/psychiatryint7020046
psychiatryint-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Body Esteem in Women with Complex PTSD: A Comparative Study

by
Rodrigo Ramirez-Rodriguez
1,*,
Ángel Alberto Puig-Lagunes
2,
Rafael Fernández-Demeneghi
3,
Ana Karina Ceja-Venegas
4,
Yuliana Yessy Gomez-Rutti
5 and
Miriam Betzabe Tecamachaltzi-Silvarán
6
1
Campus Zacatenco, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México 07738, Mexico
2
Facultad de Medicina, Campus Minatitlán, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 96760, Mexico
3
Instituto de Investigaciones en Comportamiento Alimentario y Nutrición, Universidad de Guadalajara, Ciudad Guzmán 49010, Mexico
4
Campus Colima, Instituto Colimense de Ciencias Forenses, Colima 28030, Mexico
5
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada del Norte, Lima 15083, Peru
6
Facultad de Ciencias para el Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala 90070, Mexico
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Psychiatry Int. 2026, 7(2), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint7020046
Submission received: 15 January 2026 / Revised: 16 February 2026 / Accepted: 24 February 2026 / Published: 2 March 2026
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background: Although trauma can adversely affect body esteem, the specific impact of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) remains underexplored among Mexican women. Objective: This study examined body esteem among trauma-exposed controls and women with either PTSD or CPTSD in a sample of female Mexican university students. Method: Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 657 cisgender Mexican women (aged 18–66) who completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES), International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ), and Adverse Childhood Experiences-International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ). Participants were classified into three groups: trauma-exposed controls (n = 526), PTSD (n = 68), and CPTSD (n = 63). Results: Total BES scores differed significantly across groups. Participants with CPTSD reported lower overall body esteem (M = 99.48, SD = 21.32) compared to those with PTSD (M = 114.24, SD = 26.68) and controls (M = 119.38, SD = 24.93). Significant group differences also emerged in the Sexual & Physical Attractiveness and Physical Condition & Weight Concern subscales. Furthermore, the negative correlation between BES scores and trauma symptoms was more pronounced in the CPTSD group (rho = −0.40) than in the PTSD group (rho = −0.25). Conclusions: CPTSD is associated with significantly diminished body esteem in this population. These findings underscore the critical need for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed interventions that address both the psychological and somatic dimensions of body image.
Keywords: complex PTSD; body esteem; Mexican women complex PTSD; body esteem; Mexican women

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Ramirez-Rodriguez, R.; Puig-Lagunes, Á.A.; Fernández-Demeneghi, R.; Ceja-Venegas, A.K.; Gomez-Rutti, Y.Y.; Tecamachaltzi-Silvarán, M.B. Body Esteem in Women with Complex PTSD: A Comparative Study. Psychiatry Int. 2026, 7, 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint7020046

AMA Style

Ramirez-Rodriguez R, Puig-Lagunes ÁA, Fernández-Demeneghi R, Ceja-Venegas AK, Gomez-Rutti YY, Tecamachaltzi-Silvarán MB. Body Esteem in Women with Complex PTSD: A Comparative Study. Psychiatry International. 2026; 7(2):46. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint7020046

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ramirez-Rodriguez, Rodrigo, Ángel Alberto Puig-Lagunes, Rafael Fernández-Demeneghi, Ana Karina Ceja-Venegas, Yuliana Yessy Gomez-Rutti, and Miriam Betzabe Tecamachaltzi-Silvarán. 2026. "Body Esteem in Women with Complex PTSD: A Comparative Study" Psychiatry International 7, no. 2: 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint7020046

APA Style

Ramirez-Rodriguez, R., Puig-Lagunes, Á. A., Fernández-Demeneghi, R., Ceja-Venegas, A. K., Gomez-Rutti, Y. Y., & Tecamachaltzi-Silvarán, M. B. (2026). Body Esteem in Women with Complex PTSD: A Comparative Study. Psychiatry International, 7(2), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint7020046

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop