Validity and Reliability of Persian Version of “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale” in War Veterans

Abstract

Aims: After more than 25 years of Iran-Iraq war, it is required to have a standard and normalized tool to assess the post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) as a screening tool, based on the newest copy of the statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-V). The aim of the study was to investigate validity and reliability of the post-traumatic stress index (PCL-5) in the veterans. Instrument & Methods: In the applied descriptive study, 400 male veterans with chronic PTSD, who were residents of Tehran City and hospitalized in the army hospitals and being treated by the army psychologists and psychiatrists based on the diagnostic symptoms and signs, were studied from December 2015 to April 2016. The subjects were selected via purposeful and available sampling method. Data, collected by PCL-5, was analyzed through the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, correlational method, and Cronbach’s alpha, as well as retest. Findings: To explain and fit, the structure, based on four sub-scales, was proper. In addition, PCL-5 showed favorable convergent evidences (p=0.001; r=0.68). The credibility coefficients of Cronbach’s alpha and the index retest were more than 0.70 and satisfactory in the total scale and its dimensions. Conclusion: PCL-5 has proper validity and reliability and it can be used in the screening of the veterans.

Keywords

• stress disorder
• post-traumaticm
• veterans