Title

Assessing Reliability And Validity Of The Arabic Language Version Of The Post-Traumatic Diagnostic Scale (Pds) Symptom Items

Keywords

Emigration and Immigration; Instrument construction; Post-trauma; Psychometrics; Stress disorders; Women

Abstract

Arab immigrant women are vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of gender, higher probability of being exposed to war-related violence, traditional cultural values, and immigration stressors. A valid and reliable screen is needed to assess PTSD incidence in this population. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of an Arabic language version of the symptom items in Foa et al.'s [Foa, E.B., Cashman, L., Jaycox, L., and Perry, K. 1997. The validation of a self report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder: the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale. Psychological Assessment 9(4), 445-451]. Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) in a sample of Arab immigrant women (n = 453). Reliability was supported by Cronbach's alpha values for the Arabic language version (0.93) and its subscales (0.77-0.91). Results of group comparisons supported validity: Women who had lived in a refugee camp or emigrated from Iraq - a country where exposure to war and torture is common - were exhibiting depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) score above 18), or reported moderately to severely impaired functioning had significantly higher mean PDS total and symptom subscale scores than women who had not had these experiences or were not exhibiting depressive symptoms. Scores on the PDS and its subscales were also positively correlated with the Profile of Mood States (POMS) depression and anxiety subscales and negatively correlated with the POMS vigor subscale (r = - .29 to- .39). © 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication Date

9-30-2008

Publication Title

Psychiatry Research

Volume

160

Issue

3

Number of Pages

327-334

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2007.09.005

Socpus ID

50449108051 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/50449108051

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS