Evaluation of the Trauma Symptom Inventory
Running Head: Evaluation of Symptom
Evaluation of the Trauma Symptom Inventory
Kylah Ramsey
30250
Psyc 421-001
Abstract
The Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) is a test that was developed by John Briere to evaluate traumatic symptoms of the acute and chronic nature. This evaluation will look at the purpose, design, and format of the TSI. The evaluation will also include a detailed narrative of the psychometric properties of the test that make the test reliable and valid including both its strengths and its weaknesses. Lastly, the evaluation will discuss how the TSI is used in counseling, clinical, and research settings.
Evaluation of the Trauma Symptom Inventory
Purpose, design & format of the test The Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) is a test that was developed by John Briere to evaluate traumatic symptoms of the acute and chronic nature. The test has been in circulation for close to fifteen years now, beginning in 1995 and continuing through today (2008). The TSI was designed to be administered to a group of people of at least eighteen years of age. The test itself is a paper and pencil test, consisting of one hundred questions/items and is based on a four point Likert scale, zero being never and three being often (Purves & Erwin, 2004). An example item from the TSI is a statement such as “not feeling happy” or “suddenly remembering something upsetting from your past” (Fernandez, nd). The test taker is instructed to answer never through often based on the occurrence of the statement provided. The TSI makes it very explicit that the answers that an individual gives should be based on the six months prior to taking the test (Fernandez, nd). In general, the TSI measures the response an individual had to a traumatic event not the stimulus (Fernandez, nd). However, the TSI has ten subscales including, anxious arousal, depression, anger/irritability, intrusive experiences, defensive avoidance, dissociation, sexual concerns, dysfunctional
Evaluation of the Trauma Symptom Inventory
Kylah Ramsey
30250
Psyc 421-001
Abstract
The Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) is a test that was developed by John Briere to evaluate traumatic symptoms of the acute and chronic nature. This evaluation will look at the purpose, design, and format of the TSI. The evaluation will also include a detailed narrative of the psychometric properties of the test that make the test reliable and valid including both its strengths and its weaknesses. Lastly, the evaluation will discuss how the TSI is used in counseling, clinical, and research settings.
Evaluation of the Trauma Symptom Inventory
Purpose, design & format of the test The Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) is a test that was developed by John Briere to evaluate traumatic symptoms of the acute and chronic nature. The test has been in circulation for close to fifteen years now, beginning in 1995 and continuing through today (2008). The TSI was designed to be administered to a group of people of at least eighteen years of age. The test itself is a paper and pencil test, consisting of one hundred questions/items and is based on a four point Likert scale, zero being never and three being often (Purves & Erwin, 2004). An example item from the TSI is a statement such as “not feeling happy” or “suddenly remembering something upsetting from your past” (Fernandez, nd). The test taker is instructed to answer never through often based on the occurrence of the statement provided. The TSI makes it very explicit that the answers that an individual gives should be based on the six months prior to taking the test (Fernandez, nd). In general, the TSI measures the response an individual had to a traumatic event not the stimulus (Fernandez, nd). However, the TSI has ten subscales including, anxious arousal, depression, anger/irritability, intrusive experiences, defensive avoidance, dissociation, sexual concerns, dysfunctional
References: Elhai, J.D., Gray, M.J., Kashdan, T.B., & Franklin, C.L. (2005). Which instruments are most commonly used to assess traumatic event exposure and posttraumatic effects?: A survey Elliot, D.M., Mok, D.S., & Briere, J. (2004). Adult sexual assault: Prevalence, symptomology, and sex differences in the general population McDevitt-Murphy, M.E., Weathers, F.W., & Adkins, J.W. (2005). The use of the trauma symptom inventory in the assessment of PTSD symptoms Purves, D.G., & Erwin, P.G. (2004). Post-traumatic stress and self-disclosure. The Journal of Psychology, 138(1), 23-33. Elliot, D.M., Mok, D.S., & Briere, J. (2004) Adult sexual assault: Prevalence, symptomology, and sex differences in the general population McDevitt-Murphy, M.E., Weathers, F.W., & Adkins, J.W. (2005). The use of the trauma symptom inventory in the assessment of PTSD symptoms Purves, D.G., & Erwin, P.G. (2004). Post-traumatic stress and self-disclosure. The Journal of Psychology, 138(1), 23-33.