title: Psychometric Validation of the English and French Versions of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).
abstract: The purpose of this study is to assess the psychometric properties of a French version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and to further validate the existing English version of the measure. Undergraduate students (n = 838 English, n = 262 French) completed the PCL-5 as well as other self-report symptom measures of PTSD and depression online. Both the English and French versions PCL-5 total scores demonstrated excellent internal consistency (English: α = .95; French: α = .94), and strong convergent and divergent validity. Strong internal consistency was also observed for each of the four subscales for each version (α's > .79). Test-retest reliability for the French version of the measure was also very good (r = .89). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the four-factor DSM-5 model was not a good fit of the data. The seven-factor hybrid model best fit the data in each sample, but was only marginally superior to the six-factor anhedonia model. The French version of the PCL-5 demonstrated the same psychometric qualities as both the English version of the same measure and previous versions of the PCL. Thus clinicians serving French-speaking clients now have access to this highly used screening instrument. With regards to the structural validity of the PCL-5 and of the new PTSD diagnostic structure of the DSM-5, additional research is warranted. Replication of our results in clinical samples is much needed.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Ashbaugh
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houle-Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, CHRU de Tours, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Inserm U930, France.
authors.forename: Wissam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El-Hage
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D057189:Checklist; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011594:Psychometrics; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis*