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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 3/2010

01-03-2010 | Original Paper

Brief measure of posttraumatic stress reactions: Impact of Event Scale-6

Authors: Siri Thoresen, Kristian Tambs, Ajmal Hussain, Trond Heir, Venke A. Johansen, Jonathan I. Bisson

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 3/2010

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Abstract

Background

The Impact of Event Scale-revised (IES-R) is one of the most widely used measures of posttraumatic stress reactions. However, for some purposes, such as large epidemiological studies, there is a need for briefer instruments. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an abbreviated version of the IES-R that could capture the three current symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods

Stepwise multiple regression was applied to abbreviate the IES-R in one sample. The abbreviated version was then tested in three separate samples of individuals exposed to different kinds of potentially traumatic events. Agreement with a reference measure of PTSD, the PTSD checklist (PCL), was calculated for the abbreviated and the full-scale versions of IES.

Results

The abbreviation procedure resulted in a subset of six items (the IES-6), which correlated highly (pooled correlation = 0.95) with the IES-R across samples. Correlations between the IES-6 and IES-R subscales were somewhat lower (r = 0.78–0.94). Both the IES-6 and IES-R were in high agreement with the PCL.

Conclusion

The IES-6 appears to be a robust brief measure of posttraumatic stress reactions. It may be useful for research in epidemiological studies, and it may also have a role as a screening instrument in clinical practice.
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Metadata
Title
Brief measure of posttraumatic stress reactions: Impact of Event Scale-6
Authors
Siri Thoresen
Kristian Tambs
Ajmal Hussain
Trond Heir
Venke A. Johansen
Jonathan I. Bisson
Publication date
01-03-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 3/2010
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-009-0073-x

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