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Predicting PTSD in trauma survivors: prospective evaluation of self-report and clinician-administered instruments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Arieh Y. Shalev ,
Sara. Freedman ,
Tuvia Peri ,
Dalia Brandes  and
Tali Sahar
Arieh Y. Shalev*
Affiliation:
Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Sara. Freedman
Affiliation:
Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Tuvia Peri
Affiliation:
Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Dalia Brandes
Affiliation:
Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
Tali Sahar
Affiliation:
Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
*
Dr A. Y. Shalev, Center for lraumatic Stress. Department of Psychiatry. Hadassah University Hospital. P0 Box l2000. Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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Abstract

Background

This study examined the ability of commonly used questionnaires and a structured clinical interview to predict PTSD in recent trauma survivors.

Method

Horowitz's Impact of Event Scale (IES), Speilberger's State Anxiety (SANX) and the Peri Traumatic Dissociation Questionnaire (PDEQ) were administered one week post-trauma to 239 traumatised individuals recruited from a general hospital emergency room. The IES, the SANX, the civilian version of the Mississippi Scale for Combat Related PTSD (MISS), and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) were administered one month and four months post-trauma. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysiswas used with these data.

Results

All questionnaires were better than chance at predicting PTSD. The so called PTSD questionnaires (IES and MISS) were not better than the more general ones. No difference in predictive value was found when questionnaires were carried outone week or one month after a trauma. Recovery was better predicted than PTSD, and the CAPS was better than the questionnaires.

Discussion

The use of psychometrics and clinical interviews to predict PTSD should be guided by clinical relevance and by the availability of resources.

Information

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 170 , Issue 6 , June 1997 , pp. 558 - 564
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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