Development of a crime-related post-traumatic stress disorder scale for women within the symptom checklist-90-revised

A community sample of 355 adult women were administered the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and were assessed with structured interviews for a lifetime history of criminal victimization and Crime-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Using a criterion group classification approach, a 28-item scale within the SCL-90-R was developed that successfully discriminated between the CR-PTSD positive and negative respondents. Though replication and further research is needed, the developed scale may be of use for initial screening for CR-PTSD as well as for ongoing clinical assessment and research purposes.