Trauma Screening and Assessment:

Instruments used with adults in state service systems

Compiled by Ann Jennings, Ph.D.

Trauma-informed screening refers to a brief, focused inquiry to determine whether an individual has experienced specific traumatic events

Trauma assessment is a more in-depth exploration of the nature and severity of the traumatic events, the sequelae of those events, and current trauma-related symptoms.

Trauma Screening:

• Trauma Assessment for Adults: Brief Revised Version (TAA). Used for intake followed by more comprehensive TAA and PCL in South Carolina. (Resnick, 1993)
• Trauma Assessment for Adults (TAA) (Resnick, 1993)
• PTSD Checklist for Adults (PCL) A 17 item self-report scale. (Weathers 1994)
• Brief Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ) (Green&Mueser) Used with PTSD Checklist for Adults (PCL) at intake to NH Hospital Psychiatric. (Resnick 1993)
• Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI) (Ford et al 2000)
• Life Stressor Checklist – Revised (LSC-R) Initial assessment of trauma history (Wolfe & Kimmerling, 1997)
• WCDVS version of LSC-R – used with women with substance abuse, mental health and trauma-based issues. (McHugo, 2005)
• Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) Self Report (Foa et al), used with comprehensive PDS-Modified, interview (Rosenberg 2004)

For detailed reviews of trauma exposure interviews and measures see Wilson & Keane, 2004, and Briere, 2004

Trauma Exposure/History: Self-Report and Structured Interview

• Life Stressor Checklist – Revised (LSC-R) Initial assessment of trauma history (Wolfe & Kimmerling, 1997)
• WCDVS version of LSC-R – for women with substance abuse, mental health and trauma issues. (McHugo, 2005)
• Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) Self- (Foa et al), Report used with PDS-Modified
• PDS-Modified; comprenensive; interview/prompts (Rosenberg 2004)
• Trauma Assessment for Adults: Brief Revised Version (TAA). Used for intake followed by comprehensive TAA and PCL SC Inpatient, CMHCs (Resnick, 1993)
• Trauma Assessment for Adults (TAA) (Resnick, 1993)
• PTSD Checklist for Adults (PCL) 17 item self-report scale. (Weathers 1994)
• Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI) (Ford et al 2000)
• Brief Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ) (Green&Mueser ) used with PCL at intake to NH Hospital (Resnick 1993)
• Trauma Experiences Checklist (TEC) (Nijenhuis)
• Sexual Abuse Exposure Questionnaire (SAEQ) (Rodriguez et al)
• Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) (Straus et al)

For detailed reviews of trauma exposure interviews and measures see Wilson & Keane, 2004, and Briere, 2004.

PTSD Symptoms: Self-Report and Structured Interview

• Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for Adults (CAPS) (Blake et al, 1995)
• PTSD Checklist for Adults (PCL-C) for DSM IV (Weathers et al 1994) (Blanchard et al 1996)
• PTSD Checklist for Adults (PCL-M for DSM IV) for veterans (Weathors et al 1994)
• PTSD Symptom Scale-Interview (Foa et al, 1993)
• Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS) Self Report (Foa et al) used with comprehensive PDS-Modified, (interview Rosenberg 2004)
• Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSC-40) Symptoms related to sexual abuse trauma. (Briere & Runtz 1989)

Psychosocial and Psychiatric Symptoms: Self-Report and Structured Interview

• Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) (Briere 1997)
• Diagnostic Interview Schedule for adults (DIS) (Helzer & Robins 1988)
• Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Present and Lifetime Version (SADS-PL) (Kaufman et al 1997)
• Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-P, SCID-II) (Kaufman et al, 1997)
• Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) substance abuse, legal and vocational issues, depression, anxiety, demographics (includes GPRA data categories) Dennis et al, in press

Self-Regulation: Self-Report

• Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Short Form (IIP-32) (Barkham et al 1996)
• Post-Traumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI) (Foa et al, 1999)
• Generalized Expectancies for Negative Mood Regulation (NMR) (Cantanzaro & Mearns 1990)
• Meta-Experience of Mood Scales (Meta-Scales). (Mayer & Stevens, 1994)
• Positive Affect Negative Affect Scales (PANAS) (Watson et al 1988)
• Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI) (Abidin 1995 In Ford, 2005)

Social Support

• Crisis Support Scale (CSS) (Joseph et al 1992)
• Homeless Families Social Support Scale. SAMHSA

Personal Strengths

• Hope Scale (Snyder 1996 In Ford, 2005)

For additional measures see National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at www.ncptsd.org