The trauma constellation identification scale: A measure of the psychological impact of a stressful life event

This investigation reports the development of a self-report instrument designed to assess maladaptive cognitive schemata and negative affects associated with a stressful or traumatic life event. Participants included undergraduate university students (N=228) who completed a questionnaire packet including the Approach-Avoidance Scale (AAS), the Trauma Constellation Identification Scale (TCIS), the Impact of Event Scale (IES), and the SCL-90-R. The data were analyzed to determine the psychometric properties of the TCIS. The TCIS has high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94), and its 15 subscales load on two higher-order factors. TCIS scores were significantly related to intrusions, denial, avoidance coping, and all SCL-90-R psychological outcome variables. There was also evidence for the subscales to have differential relationships with coping and outcome variables as well as type of stressor. The TCIS may be utilized for research or in a clinical setting to document an individual's affective and cognitive response profile. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

Duke Scholars

Author Susan Roth Psychology & Neuroscience