Psychological assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychometrics, current trends, and future directions

Abstract

As is clear from the foregoing, our knowledge of psychometric assessment of PTSD has expanded greatly. There are now many instruments with known psychometric properties that are helpful in elucidating aspects of PTSD, such as comorbidities with other psychiatric conditions and potential factors in PTSD vulnerability or resistance. The "old" standards, such as the SCID, IES, M-PTSD, PK-MMPI, have shown their utility and significantly advanced the field. Several newer measures (the Penn Inventory, CAPS, PTSD-I) will significantly improve clinical and research applications. Exploration of little quantified aspects of PTSD, e.g., cognitive functioning, with established techniques (WAIS-R, Wisconsin Card Sort, California Verbal Learning Test) and technology (Stroop interference, Rorschach, odor-induced EEG changes), holds promise for improving comprehensive assessment. Much work remains to be done, especially in adapting the instruments well known in a combat-related PTSD setting to civilian-related trauma. Normative data bases need to be developed. Further, efforts must be made to explore carefully possible gender and racial/cultural influences on the assessment of PTSD.