Identifying crime victims who are at high risk for post traumatic stress disorder: developing a practical referral instrument.
OBJECTIVE
To construct a practical instrument for the identification and referral of crime victims who are at high risk for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


METHODS
Crime victims filing a complaint at a police station were asked to fill out a questionnaire probing risk factors for PTSD (n=126). One and 3 months later, these victims filled out a self-report version of the PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS-SR).


RESULTS
The combination of four items predicted persistent PTSD with a sensitivity of 1.00 and a specificity of 0.62. The items were: being victims of a violent crime, knowing the perpetrator, experiencing the results of the crime as worse than was expected, and blaming oneself for the event. Only 25% of PTSD cases received emotional support from a victim assistance organization.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that early detection of high-risk victims and their referral to treatment is both necessary and possible.
Wohlfarth
T
T
Department of Clinical Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. t.wohlfarth@planet.nl
Winkel
F W
FW
Van Den Brink
W
W
D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019548:Crime Victims; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires