Development and validation of the computerized clinician administered post-traumatic stress disorder scale-1-revised

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Digital Health

Background:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant mental health condition following traumatic events.
• Clinician-administered scales are standard for PTSD assessment but can be time-consuming.
• Developing efficient and reliable assessment tools is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a computer-administered version of the clinician-administered PTSD scale.
• To evaluate the reliability and validity of the new digital PTSD assessment tool.
• To compare the performance of the computer version against the original clinician-administered scale.

Main Methods:

• A computer-administered PTSD scale was developed.
• Forty subjects meeting DSM-III-R criteria for trauma exposure were assessed using both the clinician-administered and computer-administered versions.
• Statistical analyses included inter-observer reliability (kappa), sensitivity, specificity, correlation, and test-retest reliability.

Main Results:

• The computer version showed high inter-observer reliability (kappa = 0.90).
• Excellent diagnostic accuracy was observed: sensitivity = 0.95, specificity = 0.95.
• A strong correlation (0.95) was found between the computer and clinician versions, with non-significant score differences.
• Adequate internal reliability and test-retest reliability were confirmed for the computer form.

Conclusions:

• The computer-administered PTSD scale is a valid and reliable measure for assessing PTSD.
• This digital tool offers a potentially more efficient alternative to clinician-administered assessments.
• The findings support the use of technology in mental health diagnostics for PTSD.