Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist with older primary care patients

• Published in: Journal of traumatic stress Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 371 - 376
• Main Authors: Cook, Joan M., Elhai, Jon D., Areán, Patricia A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germantown Periodicals Service Company 01.08.2005; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Panic Disorder - diagnosis; Panic Disorder - epidemiology; Panic Disorder - psychology; Primary Health Care - methods; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics - standards; Psychometrics. Diagnostic aid systems; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; ROC Curve; Sensitivity and Specificity; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Techniques and methods; Human; Evaluation; Posttraumatic syndrome; Questionnaire; Primary health care; Anxiety disorder; Prediction; Psychometrics; Test reliability; Stress; Test validation; Construct validity; Symptomatology; Convergent validity; Cutoff note; Receiver operating characteristic curves; Test scoring; Elderly
• ISSN: 0894-9867; 1573-6598
• DOI: 10.1002/jts.20038

In this article the authors evaluated the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist's (PCL) psychometric properties in 142 older adult primary care patients screened for several psychiatric disorders. Several established PCL scoring rules were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed a PCL score of 37 achieving optimal sensitivity and specificity, when compared to the PCL's algorithm‐derived PTSD diagnosis (based on whether at least one reexperiencing, three avoidance/numbing, and two hyperarousal symptoms were endorsed with a rating of 3 or higher, indicating at least moderate severity). Among depressed, anxious, and substance abusing older adults, the PCL demonstrated adequate internal consistency. It also revealed similar convergence with the Center for Epidemiological Studies‐Depression scale, found in previous research. Implications for using the PTSD Checklist with community‐dwelling older adults in primary care are discussed.