Short screening scale for DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goal was to construct a short screening scale for DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
They used data from the Detroit Area Survey of Trauma, which is a representative population sample of 2,181 subjects 18-45 years of age. Random digit dialing was used to select the sample, and a computer-assisted telephone interview was used to collect data on traumatic experiences and PTSD. Presence or absence of PTSD was assessed with a telephone-administered structured interview that closely followed the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule for DSM-IV and the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview, version 2.1. Best-subset regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic analysis were used to select a subset of items from the structured interview that most efficiently predicted PTSD as diagnosed in the full-length interview.


RESULTS
A seven-symptom screening scale for PTSD was selected; five of the symptoms were from the avoidance and numbing group, and two were from the hyperarousal group. A score of 4 or greater on this scale defined positive cases of PTSD with a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 97%, positive predictive value of 71%, and negative predictive value of 98%.


CONCLUSIONS
The short screening scale is an efficient method to screen for PTSD in epidemiologic and clinical studies, given limitations on resources and burden on respondents.
Breslau
N
N
Department of Psychiatry, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA. nbresla1@hfhs.org
Peterson
E L
EL
Kessler
R C
RC
Schultz
L R
LR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012372:ROC Curve; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D009626:Terminology as Topic