On counterbalancing of symptom-reporting in trauma surveys.
Some traumatic stress research surveys are potentially subject to context effects, such as priming, because they include questions about traumatic experiences and trauma-related symptoms within the same survey. In this study, asking about traumatic experiences before or after asking about PTSD influenced symptom reporting was investigated in a sample of 424 National Guard soldiers. Results indicate ordering of symptom measures immediately before or after reports of combat experiences did not influence reports of PTSD symptoms. Implications of results are discussed.
VA Medical Center (116A9), One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA.
Madhavi K
MK
Reddy
Melissa A
MA
Polusny
Maureen
M
Murdoch
D015982:Bias; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*