A preliminary study of a cartoon measure for children's reactions to chronic trauma

Preliminary psychometric properties of a new instrument, Angie/Andy Cartoon Trauma Scales (ACTS), are presented. Angie/Andy features a cartoon-based methodology, measuring trauma-related sequelae of prolonged, repeated abuse. A sample of 208 children comprised intrafamilial trauma, extrafamilial trauma, combined trauma, and nontrauma groups. Angie/Andy demonstrated high internal consistency, with coefficient alphas from 0.70 to 0.95. The three trauma groups scored significantly higher than the nontrauma group on all scales (p's < 0.0001). Generally, the most severely traumatized group scored significantly higher than the less severely traumatized groups. The number of types of violence exposures correlated with Angie/Andy scores from 0.55 to 0.74. The frequency and severity of trauma exposure correlated with Angie/Andy scores from 0.44 to 0.56. The Angie/Andy parent version correlated with a standardized parent scale from 0.71 to 0.81. Parent/child agreement was significant. Angie/Andy is a promising tool for clinical assessment of chronic childhood abuse.