Assessing trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder: Single, open-ended question versus list-based inventory

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology
• Psychological Trauma

Background:

• Trauma exposure is a known precursor to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Limited empirical data exists on how different measurement methods affect trauma exposure and PTSD estimates in epidemiological samples.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for accurate prevalence rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare reported trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates using single, open-ended questions versus list-based assessments.
• To investigate the impact of assessment methodology on epidemiological findings within a general community sample.
• To identify demographic groups potentially affected by underestimation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Montreal epidemiological catchment area study (N=1029).
• Employed a within-subject design comparing single, open-ended question trauma assessment with list-based assessment.
• Data collected via in-person interviews by lay interviewers on lifetime trauma exposure and PTSD.

Main Results:

• List-based assessment yielded significantly higher trauma exposure rates (78%) than single questions (61%).
• Conditional rates of lifetime PTSD slightly decreased from 6.7% (single question) to 6% (list-based).
• Increased trauma exposure was more pronounced in women and younger participants (15-24 years).

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive, list-based trauma assessments are vital for accurate epidemiological research on trauma exposure.
• Previous studies using simpler methods may have underestimated trauma prevalence, particularly in young women.
• Minimal underestimation of PTSD was observed, but affected cases were exclusively women.