Discriminant validity of the TSC-40 in an outpatient setting

This study examines the discriminant validity of the Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSC-40) in a clinical sample. The TSC-40 was developed as a research instrument for assessing the impact of a history of sexual victimization. Previous validity studies used nonclinical samples of women (Elliott & Briere, 1992; Gold, Milan, Myall, & Johnson, 1994). In the present study, the TSC-40 was administered to 103 men and 79 women requesting services at two outpatient clinics. Information about sexual victimization was collected from the client during intake and from the therapist after the client had received 6 months of therapy. A history of CSA was associated both with high symptom levels across symptom dimensions, and, specifically, with elevation on the trauma subscale of the TSC-40. The findings support the view that, in a clinical setting, CSA is associated both with generalized distress and with PTSD symptoms.