Bennett Expansion to the International Trauma Questionnaire: Results of Thematic Analysis and Psychometric Testing

Abstract

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is distinct from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder based on genesis of trauma type leading to disorder and resulting symptomatology. Currently, C-PTSD is not included as an official diagnosis in American mental healthcare systems but is recognized worldwide by the International Classification of Diseases. Lack of awareness and recognition of this disorder has resulted in few behavioral health scales available to evaluate symptoms experienced by survivors of complex trauma. This study is a mixed methods approach to scale development and builds on the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). This ITQ is currently available to the public as a brief diagnostic tool for C-PTSD. In this study, thematic analysis was used following qualitative interviews to generate items for the Bennett-Expansion to the International Trauma Questionnaire. Themes emerged from qualitative analysis of affect regulation, physical symptoms, self-concept, interpersonal relationships, systemic influence and injustice and contextual triggers. These themes and codes provided language to capture C-PTSD symptoms more robustly. Results of exploratory factor analysis show six subscales named “Self-concept and interpersonal relationships,” “PTSD symptoms,” “Self-awareness,” “Physical symptoms,” “Affect regulation,” and “Conflict avoidance”. Internal consistency ranged from “acceptable” to “very good” in the subscales, with the total scale being “very good”. The BE-ITQ could be used in therapeutic practice to evaluate the efficacy of interventions with populations experiencing C-PTSD.