Brief screening instrument for post-traumatic stress disorder.
BACKGROUND
Brief screening instruments appear to be a viable way of detecting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but none has yet been adequately validated.


OBJECTIVE
To test and cross-validate a brief instrument that is simple to administer and score.


METHODS
Forty-one survivors of a rail crash were administered a questionnaire, followed by a structured clinical interview 1 week later.


RESULTS
Excellent prediction of a PTSD diagnosis was provided by respondents endorsing at least six re-experiencing or arousal symptoms, in any combination. The findings were replicated on data from a previous study of 157 crime victims.


CONCLUSIONS
Performance of the new measure was equivalent to agreement achieved between two full clinical interviews.
Brewin
Chris R
CR
Subdepartment of Clinical Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
Rose
Suzanna
S
Andrews
Bernice
B
Green
John
J
Tata
Philip
P
McEvedy
Chris
C
Turner
Stuart
S
Foa
Edna B
EB
D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011890:Railroads; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires