Multi-Informant Assessment of Maltreated Children: Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the TSCC and TSCYC

• NCJ Number: 224127
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 32 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 621-625
• Author(s): Cheryl B. Lanktree; Alicia M. Gilbert; John Briere; Nicole Taylor; Karianne Chen; Carl A. Maida; William R. Saltzman
• Date Published: June 2008
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Test/Measurement
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the convergent and discriminant validity of two assessment instruments for trauma symptoms in children: the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC) and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children (TSCYC).

Abstract

The TSCC and TSCYC scales generally converged in their assessments of symptomatology for trauma in maltreated children. Equivalent scales that measured anxiety, depression, anger, dissociation, and sexual concerns were generally most correlated with one another. The Posttraumatic Stress-Intrusion (PTS-I) scale of the TSCYC correlated highest with the Posttraumatic Stress (PTS) and Anxiety (ANX) scales of the TSCC. The TSCYC Posttraumatic Stress-Arousal (PTS-AR) scale correlated with the TSCC ANX scale; and the TSCC PTS scale was most correlated with the TSCYC ANX, PTS-I, and Sexual Concerns (SC) scales. The TSCYC Posttraumatic Stress-Avoidance scale was unrelated to any TSCC scale. Discriminant function analysis revealed that the TSCC PTS scale was the best single predictor of sexual abuse-Related PTSD status as identified by the TSCYC. The relatively small association between relevant TSCC and TSCYC scales indicates that different symptom informants may have different perspectives on the child’s symptomatology, an outcome that may be beneficial when both measures are administered simultaneously. These findings reinforce the view that both child and parent/caretaker report measures should be used in the evaluation of traumatized children, so that multiple sources of information can be considered simultaneously. Administration of the TSCC to the child (children 8-12 years old) and the TSCYC to the caretaker may produce more clinical information on the child’s symptoms than either measure used alone. For this study, children’s scores on the TSCC and their caretakers’ rating on the TSCYC were analyzed for 310 children assessed by child abuse treatment centers. 2 tables and 28 references