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Home > Clinical Resources > Child Trauma Assessments > Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5

Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5

The Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 (CPSS-5) is used to measure posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis and severity in the past month in children aged eight to 18. It contains a trauma screening to assess history of Criterion A traumatic experiences in order to identify an index trauma as well as a 27-item semi-structured interview that includes 20 items assessing DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and seven items assessing impairment of endorsed symptoms on daily functioning. The CPSS-5 takes approximately 30 minutes to administer as an interview measure (by a clinician or a therapist; CPSS-5-I) and 10 minutes to complete as a self-report (CPSS-5-SR). Versions are available in English, Hebrew, Portuguese, Slovenian, Spanish, and Swedish.

Author/Publisher Details

CPSS-5: Edna B. Foa & Sandy Capaldi

Correspondence to:
Edna B. Foa, PhD / Sandy Capaldi, Psy.D.
Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety
3535 Market Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Date   

2013

Access

To access the CPSS-5-I please contact the author(s) directly. This resource should be used in an ethical and responsible manner and should be used only for the purpose(s) for which it has demonstrable validity. Please observe copyright where indicated and reference it appropriately. 

The CPSS-5 Self-Report is available here.

CPSS-5 SR - Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 Self-Report (English Version)

Description   

The Child PTSD Symptom Scale—Interview Version for DSM-5

The CPSS-5-I is a 27-item semi-structured interview that assesses PTSD DSM-5 diagnosis and symptom severity in the past month based on interviewer ratings. The CPSS-5-I assesses history of Criterion A traumatic experiences to identify an index trauma. Next, the 20 items assessing DSM-5 PTSD symptoms are presented. The interviewer rates each item from 0 (not at all) to 4 (6 or more times a week/almost always) based on the frequency and severity of the reported symptom experienced in the past month related to the index trauma. Finally, seven items assess impairment of endorsed symptoms on daily functioning pertinent to youth (e.g., fun things you want to do, doing your chores, relationships with your friends). Total administration time is approximately 30 min.

The Child PTSD Symptom Scale—Self-Report Version for DSM-5

The CPSS-5-SR is a revised 27-item self-report version of the original CPSS. It is similar in structure, range, and scoring as just described for the CPSS-5-I. The measure typically takes participants about 5–10 min to complete.

The CPSS-5-SR can stand alone as a diagnostic tool for childhood and adolescent PTSD, but can also be given as part of a battery of other measures, such as the BDI or the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), that indicate other factions of psychopathology.

Languages   

Versions are available in English, Hebrew, Portuguese, Slovenian, Spanish, and Swedish

Please contact the author/s for other language versions and information on these translations.

Scoring

The total severity score ranges from 0 to 80 and is calculated by summing the ratings of the first 20 items. The CPSS-5-I also yields subscale scores for intrusion (Items 1–5), avoidance (Items 6–7), changes in cognition and mood (Items 8–14), and increased arousal and reactivity (Items 15–20).  

The interviewer rates the seven impairment items on a scale of 0 (not at all) to 4 (6 or more times a week/almost always), resulting in an impairment score that ranges from 0 to 28. The total impairment score does not contribute to the overall severity score.

Psychometrics

CPSS-5 Interviewer Version (CPSS-5-I). The CPSS-5-I has excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .916), test-retest reliability (r = .925), excellent inter-rater reliability for the total severity score (ICC = .988) and inter-rater agreement for PTSD diagnosis (Kappa= 1). The CPSS-5-I also demonstrated convergent validity with CPSS-5-SR (r =.904), and discriminant validity with the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) and with the Child Depression Inventory (CDI). In sum, the CPSS-5-I is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis and severity for children and adolescents.

CPSS-5 Self Report Version (CPSS-5-SR). The CPSS-5-SR has excellent internal consistency for total symptom severity (Cronbach’s alpha = .924) and good test-retest reliability (r = .800). The CPSS-5-SR also demonstrates convergent validity with CPSS-5-I (r = .904), and discriminant validity with the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale (MASC) for Children and Child Depression Inventory (CDI). A cut off score of 31 can be used for identifying a probable PTSD diagnosis in children. In sum, the CPSS-5-SR is a valid and reliable self-report instrument for assessing DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis and severity for children and adolescents.

Key/Core References   

Foa, EB, Asnaani, A, Zang, Y, Capaldi, S. (2017). Psychometrics of the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for DSM-5 for Trauma-Exposed Children and Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 47, 38-46.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1350962

Manual   

This is a self explanatory self report tool or can be administered as an interview. There are no specific administration instructions. For details on interpretation see above information or consult the references.

Further Information   

Information about the CPSS-5 can be obtained from Edna B. Foa, Center for the Study and Treatment of Anxiety.