Assessment tools for complex post traumatic stress disorder: a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Accurate detection of complex post traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is crucial for effective patient care.
• A variety of assessment tools exist, but their comparative validity and utility for CPTSD require systematic evaluation.

Approach:

• A systematic literature review was conducted in February 2022, searching Embase and PsychINFO for studies evaluating CPTSD assessment tools.
• Inclusion criteria focused on full-text papers from 2002-2022 that assessed CPTSD, excluding reviews and non-primary research.
• Twenty-two studies met the criteria, examining various self-report and interview-based instruments.

Key Points:

• The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was the most frequently used and thoroughly validated tool across diverse populations.
• Other tools like the International Trauma Interview (ITI), Symptoms of Trauma Scale (SOTS), and COPISAC are interview-based options suitable when self-report is not feasible.
• Single studies evaluated the Developmental Trauma Inventory (DTI), Cameron Complex Trauma Interview (CCTI), Complex Trauma Questionnaire (ComplexTQ), and MMPI Scale 8.

Conclusions:

• The ITQ is a validated and convenient self-report questionnaire for clinical screening of CPTSD.
• Interview-based tools (ITI, SOTS, COPISAC) can detect CPTSD but necessitate further validation and should complement clinical assessment.
• Selecting the appropriate CPTSD assessment tool depends on the clinical context and the need for self-report versus interview methods.