Childhood PTSD Interview

Fletcher, 1996

Description

The Childhood PTSD Interview is a 95-item semi-structured interview that assesses DSM-IV PTSD diagnosis and associated symptoms. It includes a description of the event(s), 63 symptom items (3-6 items for each DSM-IV symptom), and 32 associated symptom items (2-5 for each of 11 associated symptoms). Each item is rated dichotomously as being present or absent (i.e., "yes" or "no"). The Childhood PTSD Interview yields a categorical score of PTSD diagnosis as well as a continuous severity score obtained by adding all endorsed items. The questions are written at the third-grade reading level, but it has been used with younger children. There is also a Parent Form that assesses the same dimensions as the Child Form using language appropriate for adults in which a parent answers the questions with respect to the child's symptoms. The forms may also be used in a self-report format. Either interview can be administered by paraprofessionals.

Sample Items

Do you ever have bad dreams or nightmares about (the event)? Do you ever have bad dreams about monsters or scary things since (the event)? Like you are trapped somewhere and can't get out? Or you are somewhere strange? Or you are scared but you can't run?

Versions

The Childhood PTSD Interview comes in a child version and a parent version (Parent Form).

References

Fletcher, K. (1996). Psychometric review of the Childhood PTSD Interview. In B. H. Stamm (Ed.), Measurement of stress, trauma, and adaptation (pp. 87-89). Lutherville, MD: Sidran Press.

Fletcher, K. Preliminary psychometrics of four new measures of childhood PTSD. Unpublished manuscript.

To Obtain Scale

Kenneth E. Fletcher, PhD
Department of Psychiatry
University of Massachusetts Medical Center
55 Lake Avenue North
Worcester, MA 01655-0001
Phone: (508) 856-3329
Email: Kenneth.Fletcher@umassmed.edu

Measures availability: Information on measures is available to everyone. However, the assessment tools themselves can only be distributed to qualified mental health professionals and researchers. We maintain measures developed by affiliated staff of the National Center for PTSD.