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The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kimbrel, NA; Evans, LD; Patel, AB; Wilson, LC; Meyer, EC; Gulliver, SB; Morissette, SB
Published in: Psychiatry Res
December 30, 2014

The objective of the present research was to develop and evaluate a critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale for use with Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. The psychometric properties of the CWE were evaluated across three independent samples of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Despite its brevity (7 items), the CWE exhibited good internal consistency (average α =0.83), good temporal stability (1-year test-retest reliability=0.73), good concurrent validity with lengthier measures of warzone experiences (average r=0.74), and a clear unidimensional factor structure (average factor loading=0.69). Study 2 confirmed the CWE׳s factor structure through confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling demonstrated a strong association between CWE and post-deployment mental health, β =0.49, p<0.001. Study 3 provided further support for the predictive validity of the CWE by demonstrating that it was associated with PTSD diagnosis, clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, and global functional impairment in an independent sample of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans (average r=0.59). While replication of these findings in more diverse samples is needed, the preliminary evidence from these studies indicates that the CWE is a brief, reliable, and valid measure of critical warzone experiences among Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans.

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Published In

Psychiatry Res

DOI

EISSN

1872-7123

Publication Date

December 30, 2014

Volume

220

Issue

3

Start / End Page

1118 / 1124

Location

Ireland

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans
  • United States
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Psychometrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Personality Inventory
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
 

Citation

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Kimbrel, N. A., Evans, L. D., Patel, A. B., Wilson, L. C., Meyer, E. C., Gulliver, S. B., & Morissette, S. B. (2014). The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Psychiatry Res, 220(3), 1118–1124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2014.08.053
Kimbrel, Nathan A., Lianna D. Evans, Amee B. Patel, Laura C. Wilson, Eric C. Meyer, Suzy B. Gulliver, and Sandra B. Morissette. “The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.Psychiatry Res 220, no. 3 (December 30, 2014): 1118–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2014.08.053.
Kimbrel NA, Evans LD, Patel AB, Wilson LC, Meyer EC, Gulliver SB, et al. The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Psychiatry Res. 2014 Dec 30;220(3):1118–24.
Kimbrel, Nathan A., et al. “The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.Psychiatry Res, vol. 220, no. 3, Dec. 2014, pp. 1118–24. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.08.053.
Kimbrel NA, Evans LD, Patel AB, Wilson LC, Meyer EC, Gulliver SB, Morissette SB. The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Psychiatry Res. 2014 Dec 30;220(3):1118–1124.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychiatry Res

DOI

EISSN

1872-7123

Publication Date

December 30, 2014

Volume

220

Issue

3

Start / End Page

1118 / 1124

Location

Ireland

Related Subject Headings

  • Veterans
  • United States
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Psychometrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Personality Inventory
  • Middle Aged
  • Male