title: The Symptoms of Trauma Scale (SOTS): An Initial Psychometric Study.
abstract: The Symptoms of Trauma Scale (SOTS) is a 12-item, interview-based, clinician-rated measure that assesses the severity of a range of trauma-related symptoms. This pilot study evaluated its use and psychometric properties in an outpatient setting that provides treatment to survivors of chronic interpersonal trauma. Thirty participants completed self-report measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, dissociation, self-esteem, and affect dysregulation; the participants also participated separately in a semistructured interview based on the SOTS conducted by 2 trained interviewers. SOTS composite severity scores for DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (cPTSD), DSM-5 PTSD, and PTSD dissociative subtype, and total traumatic stress symptoms generally had acceptable internal consistency and interrater reliability. Evidence of convergent, discriminant, criterion, and construct validity was found for the SOTS composite PTSD scores, although potential limitations to validity that require further research and refinement of the measure were identified for the SOTS total and DSM-IV cPTSD scores and the hyperarousal, affect dysregulation, and dissociation items. Interviewers and interviewees described the interview as efficient, informative, and well tolerated. Implications for clinical practice and research to refine the SOTS are discussed.
authors.affiliation: FORD: Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT MENDELSOHN, KALLIVAYALIL, and HERMAN: Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA L.A. OPLER: Department of Psychology, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY M.G.A. OPLER: ProPhase LLC, Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY LEVITAN: Synergy Psychological, Sierra Madre, CA PRATTS: St Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY MUENZENMAIER: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY SHELLEY: Bronx Psychiatric Center, Bronx, NY GRENNAN: ProPhase LLC, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Julian D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendelsohn
authors.forename: Lewis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Opler
authors.forename: Mark G A
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Opler
authors.forename: Diya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kallivayalil
authors.forename: Jocelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levitan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pratts
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muenzenmaier
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shelley
authors.forename: Michelle S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Grennan
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewis Herman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D000068099:Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology