title: Measuring dimensions of posttraumatic stress disorder: the Iowa traumatic response inventory.
abstract: Researchers have suggested that the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be divided into the four dimensions of intrusions, avoidance, numbing or dysphoria, and hyperarousal. However, the clinical utility of a dysphoria/general distress symptom dimension is unclear, and measures of the overall structure of PTSD are limited by the small number of avoidance and prototypical hyperarousal symptoms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The Iowa Traumatic Response Inventory (ITRI) was created as a broader measure of symptoms related to PTSD. The factor analytic method of test construction was used to create the scales from a larger pool of items. The measure was validated in a clinical sample and in a student sample. Analysis of the ITRI symptom dimensions suggests traumatic intrusions and avoidance symptoms are highly associated and are specific to PTSD, whereas dysphoria, hyperarousal, and dissociation are not specific to PTSD. Overall, the ITRI was found to be a reliable and valid measure of PTSD symptoms that better captures the observed structure of the disorder.
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA joshua-gootzeit@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gootzeit
authors.affiliation: The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Markon
authors.affiliation: The University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PTSD; factor analysis; scale development