title: Confirmatory factor analysis of the PTSD checklist in the elderly.
abstract: The authors examined the psychometric characteristics and factor structure of the Civilian Version of the PTSD Checklist (PCL-C; F. W. Weathers, B. T. Litz, J. A. Huska, & T. Keane, 1994) in elderly survivors, aged 66-90, of the 2004 Florida hurricane disasters. Confirmatory factor analyses of nine models of PCL-C structure revealed the strongest support for a 4-factor model consisting of reexperiencing, avoidance, numbing, and arousal dimensions. Future studies will be facilitated by the knowledge that the PCL-C 4-factor model appears to apply across the adult age range and a variety of posttraumatic stress disorder-producing conditions.
authors.affiliation: James A. Haley VA Medical Center, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. jschinka@hsc.usf.edu
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Schinka
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Borenstein
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mortimer
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*