University of Twente Student Theses
A validation study of the Dutch posttraumatic stress disorder checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) after the loss of a loved one in a traffic accident
Tzaneti, E.E. (2022) A validation study of the Dutch posttraumatic stress disorder checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) after the loss of a loved one in a traffic accident.
|
PDF
438kB |
| Abstract: | Introduction: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event or situation. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a Dutch self-report measure, the 20-item Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), in bereaved people who experienced a loss of a loved one as a result of a road traffic accident. Methods: We examined the: i) internal consistency, ii) convergent validity, iii) known-groups validity, and iv) optimal clinical cut-off scores for detecting probable PTSD cases in a sample of 273 Dutch adults who lost a loved one in a road traffic accident. In particular, Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson’s correlation analysis, t-tests and receiver operating curve analyses were performed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Dutch PCL-5. Results: The PCL-5 items of the total as well as the subscales demonstrated good internal consistency (α’s > .80). Positive, strong, and significant associations between posttraumatic stress scores and symptom levels of prolonged grief (r = .81) and depression (r = .63) supported convergent validity. Associations between sociodemographic/loss-related variables including gender, educational level, time since loss as well as kinship and posttraumatic stress symptoms supported known-groups validity. The optimal cut-off score for the PCL-5 total scale was ≥ 27 (sensitivity = .97, specificity = .84) for probable caseness of DSM-5 PTSD. Conclusion: Overall, preliminary validation of the Dutch PCL-5 was proven to be a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring PTSD symptom severity in a sample of bereaved people who experienced the loss due to a road traffic accident. Future research should examine the factor structure for the Dutch PCL-5 and conduct other validation studies in diverse bereaved samples. Implications for use of the PCL-5 might benefit researchers and clinicians in a variety of assessment contexts and are discussed. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/92163 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
Show download statistics for this publication
Show download statistics for this publicationRepository Staff Only: item control page