Measuring posttraumatic stress disorder following childbirth

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant concern.
• Accurate measurement tools are crucial for identifying and managing postpartum PTSD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the reliability and construct validity of the City Birth Trauma Scale (BiTS) in an Oceanian population.
• To confirm the latent factor structure of postpartum PTSD using the BiTS.

Main Methods:

• 195 women completed an online survey including the City BiTS.
• Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were used to investigate psychometric properties.
• Repeat administration data was collected from 39 participants.

Main Results:

• CFA confirmed a two-factor model for the City BiTS: birth-related symptom (BRS) and general symptom (GS) subscales.
• The scale demonstrated high reliability and construct validity for total scores and subscales at baseline and follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The City Birth Trauma Scale (BiTS) is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing postpartum PTSD in Oceania.
• The BiTS can be a useful tool for screening postpartum PTSD and its associated symptoms.