Experimental and Self-Reported Indices of Childhood Abuse Using the Binghamton Childhood Abuse Screen

• NCJ Number: 225567
• Journal: Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: 2008 Pages: 506-519
• Author(s): Shannon L. Coleman; Patricia A. Rourke; Donald J. Levis
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Test/Measurement
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes the procedures and results for the validation of the Binghamton Childhood Abuse Screen (BCAS), which was developed for use by physicians and clinicians in screening for child abuse in clinical settings.

Abstract

The results of the validation procedures provide support for the validity of the BCAS; however, due to methodological limitations, future research should use clinical samples, since significant differences may be found in the range of BCAS scores and in the sensitivity and specificity of the BCAS with a clinical sample. Also, clinical samples could be used to examine the BCAS’s sensitivity to psychopathology that does not stem from childhood abuse, as well as to obtain important normative data. Although further validation is necessary, results from this and other studies suggest that the BCAS is able to detect symptoms of childhood abuse, such that this screening instrument fills a distinctive and important niche in the field of clinical assessment for childhood abuse. Sixty-sight undergraduates from a public university participated in the study, with attention to the recruitment of a sample with ethnic/racial diversity. Participants were selected according to two criteria: BCAS score and a criterion measure for establishing the presence or absence of a history of childhood abuse. Using sensitivity and specificity guidelines for participants with a history of any type of childhood abuse, participants whose BCAS total scores were greater than 12 or less than 6 were selected for the H-BCAS and L-BCAS groups, respectively. The second selection criterion used responses that indicated histories of childhood sexual or physical abuse. Participants in the H-BCAS group and a self-reported history of childhood abuse and controls in the L-BCAS group who reported no history of childhood abuse were selected. The computerized single-trial modified Stroop procedure was used for this study. 2 tables, 1 figure, 3 notes, and 45 references