Validation of a Brief PTSD Scale for Clients With Severe Mental Illnesses

Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are more common in severe mental illnesses (SMI) clients than in the general population, yet brief screens for detecting probable PTSD in SMI clients are nonexistent. In a two-part study, the authors used correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis to develop and validate a 3-item PTSD scale derived from the PTSD Symptom scale (PSS) with SMI clients. Results from Study #1 ( N = 220) revealed that a 3-item Brief PSS showed excellent accuracy for detecting PTSD, good internal consistency, and good concurrent validity with other relevant measures. In Study #2 ( N = 327) comparable reliability and concurrent validity were found with measures similar to those used in Study #1. Practitioners are encouraged to use the Brief PSS with SMI clients, and if positive, conduct a full assessment and diagnosis. Limitations of the study include the lack of a structured interview for primary Axis I diagnosis. </jats:p