Acute Stress Disorder Scale: a self-report measure of acute stress disorder

Psychol Assess. 2000 Mar;12(1):61-8.

Abstract

The Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) is a self-report inventory that (a) indexes acute stress disorder (ASD) and (b) predicts posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The ASDS is a 19-item inventory that is based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria. The ASDS possessed good sensitivity (95%) and specificity (83%) for identifying ASD against the ASD Interview on 99 civilian trauma survivors. Test-retest reliability of the ASDS scores between 2 and 7 days was strong (r = .94). The ASDS predicted 91% of bushfire survivors who developed PTSD and 93% of those who did not; one third of those identified by the ASDS as being at risk did not develop PTSD, however. The ASDS shows promise as a screening instrument to identify acutely traumatized individuals who warrant more thorough assessment for risk of PTSD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychometrics
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Survivors / psychology