Structured Interview for PTSD (SI-PTSD)

Davidson, Kudler, & Smith, 1990

Description

The SI-PTSD assesses the 17 PTSD symptoms as well as survival and behavioral guilt. For each item, the interviewer assigns a severity rating that reflects both frequency and intensity. Some items focus more on frequency and some focus more on intensity of symptoms. Scores can also be obtained for "worst ever" symptoms.

Item responses can be used to make a determination about whether client's symptoms meet DSM criteria B, C, and D for PTSD. Items are scored on a scale from 0-4. A symptom is counted as positive if it is at least a 2 (moderate). The interview takes 20-30 minutes to administer if initial screen questions are positive and can be administered by mental health professionals or by paraprofessionals after some training.

Sample Item

Have you experienced painful images or memories of combat or other trauma which you couldn't get out of your mind, even though you may have wanted to? Have these been recurrent?

0 = not at all
1 = mild; rarely and/or not bothersome
2 = moderate; at least once a week, and/or rare but produces significant impairment of function or distress
3 = severe; at least 4 times per week
4 = extremely severe; daily or produces so much impairment that patient cannot work or enter social situations
9 = no information

rate worst ever:
rate past 4 weeks (or other designated period):

References

Davidson, J. R. T., Kudler, H. S., & Smith, R. D. (1990). Assessment and pharmacotherapy of posttraumatic stress disorder. In J. E.L. Giller (Ed.), Biological assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (pp. 205-221). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press. (NOTE: Includes measure in its entirety)

Additional Reviews

Orsillo (2001) (PDF) p. 291

Orsillo, Susan M. (2001). Measures for acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. In M.M. Antony & S.M. Orsillo (Eds.), Practitioner's guide to empirically based measures of anxiety (pp. 255-307). New York: KluwerAcademic/Plenum. PILOTS ID 24368

To Obtain Scale

Jonathan Davidson, MD
Department of Psychiatry
PO Box 3812
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC 27710-3812
Phone: (919) 684 2880

Measure 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.