Abstract
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of Clinician Administered Post Traumatic Stres Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents (CAPS-CA) in Turkish children.
Method:
Fifty child and adolescent traumatic injury victims between ages 8-15 years were administered Clinician Administered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents (CAPS-CA), Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version_Turkish Version (K-SADS-PL-T) and Child Post-traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI).
Results:
Thirty-four subjects (68%) were diagnosed as having current PTSD and nine subjects (18%) were diagnosed as having a lifetime PTSD. The analyses yielded a Cronbach alpha (internal consistency) of 83 for the whole scale. Item-total score correlations ranged between .59- .92. The interrater reliability rate for PTSD was moderate (kappa= .63). The correlation of CAPS-CA with K- SADS-PL-T was .78 and with CPTSD-RI was .72.
Discussion:
The results suggested that the Turkish version of the CAPS-CA was a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of PTSD in children and adolescents. It would be valuable to examine the validity and reliability of the CAPS-CA in larger samples and different trauma victims.
Keywords: PTSD, "Clinician Administered Post Traumatic Stres Disorder Scale for Children and Adolescents", validity, reliability
