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Psychometric properties of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) in a sample of Swedish children
Doris Nilsson1, Iza Dävelid1, Sara Ledin1
1Department Psychology, Institution of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Insights
The Swedish Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) demonstrates reliable psychometric properties for identifying post-traumatic stress symptoms in youth. This validated screening tool is suitable for both clinical and non-clinical settings.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Background:
- Post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents require accurate identification.
- The Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS) is an international instrument for assessing these symptoms.
- Validation of translated versions is crucial for widespread clinical utility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the CATS.
- To ensure alignment with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria.
- To establish the CATS as a reliable screening tool for Swedish youth.
Main Methods:
- Administered the Swedish CATS to 591 schoolchildren (ages 13-17) and 42 clinically assessed children.
- Utilized the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) and Linköping Youth Life Experience Scale (LYLES-Y) for comparison.
- Conducted statistical analyses for reliability, validity (convergent), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Main Results:
- The Swedish CATS exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.73-0.89) and moderate test-retest stability (ICC: 0.57-0.68).
- The four-factor model for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) showed good fit, reliability, and convergent validity.
- Strong correlation with the TSCC PTSD subscale (r=0.82) and significant group differences were observed.
Conclusions:
- The Swedish CATS possesses satisfactory psychometric properties, including acceptable sensitivity and specificity.
- The instrument is validated for use in identifying post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents.
- The CATS can be effectively employed as a screening tool in both clinical and non-clinical environments.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometrics of the Swedish version of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS). This was to obtain access to an international instrument to identify symptoms of post-traumatic stress in children and adolescents according to the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5).
Method:
A total of 591 young Swedish schoolchildren aged 13-17 years old were given the CATS together with the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC), and the Linköping Youth Life Experience Scale (LYLES-Y). A clinical group of 42 children who had experienced a potential trauma was also given the same questionnaires. Statistical analyses were carried out for the purpose of reliability, different kinds of validity, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) concerning the construct of the CATS.
Results:
The CATS showed good internal consistency on all four subscales from α = 0.73-0.89 and moderate stability (intra class correlation [ICC] = 0.57-68). The four-factor model for PTSD indicated good fit, reliability, and convergent validity. The CATS correlated strongly with the PTSD subscale on the TSCC (r = 0.82) and there were significant differences between the nonclinical and clinical groups.
Conclusions:
The study shows that the Swedish translation of CATS has satisfactory psychometric properties, including acceptable sensitivity and specificity. The CATS could therefore be used as a screening tool both outside and within a clinical setting.
