Brief screening instrument for post-traumatic stress disorder

Background Brief screening instruments appear to be a viable way of detecting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but none has yet been adequately validated. Aims To test and cross-validate a brief instrumentthat is simple to administer and score. Method Forty-one survivors of a rai l crash were administered a questionnaire, followed by a structured clinical interview 1 week later. Results Excellent prediction of a PTSD diagnosis was provided by respondents endorsing at least six re-experiencing or arousal symptoms, in any combination. The findings were replicated on data from a previous study of 157 crime victims. Conclusions Performance of the new measure was equivalent to agreement achieved between two full clinical interviews.