The TSI was developed to assess acute and chronic traumatic symptomatology in adults 18 years and older. The test consists of 100 items and is divided into 10 clinical scales and 3 validity scales.
Overview
TSI
Briere, J. (1995). Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI): Professional Manual. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.
Administration
4-point Likert-type rating scale: 0 (Never) to 3 (Often)
| Domains | Scale | Sample Items |
|---|---|---|
| Trauma Symptoms | Anxious Arousal | Not available |
| Trauma Symptoms | Depression | Not available |
| Trauma Symptoms | Anger/Irritability | Not available |
| Trauma Symptoms | Intrusive Experiences | Not available |
| Trauma Symptoms | Defensive Avoidance | Not available |
| Trauma Symptoms | Dissociation | Not available |
| Trauma Symptoms | Sexual Concerns | Not available |
Training
Parallel or Alternate Forms
The TSI manual states that "the TSI can be administered and scored by individuals who do not have formal training in clinical psychology" . . . "the interpretation of TSI scores and profiles requires graduate training in psychology."
Psychometrics
The sample used to develop the TSI is the same sample that was used to norm the measure.
T-scores at or above 65 are considered clinically significant.
| Type: | Rating | Statistics | Min | Max | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Consistency | Acceptable | Cronbach's alpha | 0.74 | 0.91 | 0.86 |
Items were selected according to the existing trauma literature, clinical experience, and consultation with trauma experts.
| Validity Type | Not known | Not found | Nonclincal Samples | Clinical Samples | Diverse Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convergent/Concurrent | Yes | Yes | |||
| Discriminant | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Sensitive to Change | Yes | ||||
| Intervention Effects | Yes | ||||
| Longitudinal/Maturation Effects | Yes | ||||
| Sensitive to Theoretically Distinct Groups | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Factorial Validity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1. Wallis (2002) established sensitivity to change in an experimental study. After receiving group therapy, traumatized participants in the experimental group scored lower on 7 of the 10 clinical scales on the TSI and on the three composite scales. The researcher reported no similar reduction in symptoms in the control group.
Other studies showing tx sensitivity of TSI:
1. Bradley, R.G. & Follingstad, D.R. (2003). Group therapy for incarcerated women who experienced interpersonal violence: a pilot study. Journal of
Traumatic Stress, 16, 337-340.
2. Resick, P.A., Nishith, P., & Griffin, M.G. (2003). How well does cognitivebehavioral therapy treat symptoms of complex PTSD?: An examination of child
sexual abuse survivors within a clinical trial. CNS Spectrums, 8, 340-342, 351-355.
| Not Known | Not Found | Nonclinical Samples | Clinical Samples | Diverse Samples | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Predictive Validity: | Yes | Yes | |||
| Postdictive Validity: | Yes | Yes |
In a study with 449 participants from the general population, discriminant function analysis revealed that the TSI scales correctly predicted 24 of 26
PTSD positive cases (92% true positive) and 385 of 423 PTSD negative cases (91% true negative) (Briere, 1995).
1. No clinical population was used in the norming procedures.
2. There is no test-restest reliability reported for the measure.
3. Overall, the TSI is based on extensive research and shows good psychometric properties.
Translations
| Language: | Translated | Back Translated | Reliable | Good Psychometrics | Similar Factor Structure | Norms Available | Measure Developed for this Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. French (Canadian) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| 2. Chinese | Yes | ||||||
| 3. Spanish | Yes | Yes | |||||
| 4. Swedish | Yes |
Population Information
The norming sample consisted of 77.5% Caucasian, 10.3% African Americans, 6.1% Hispanics, 2.9% Asians, and 2.3% Native Americans. Although the sample is generally comparable to the 1990 U.S. Census, the author noted that it slightly overrepresented Caucasian, married, and more educated individuals.
There are special norms for ethnic minorities (African American and Hispanics) for the three validity scales.
No special norms for ethnic minority groups for the clinical scales were warranted because only three of the 10 clinical scales showed any race differences, and overall, only 2% of the variance can be accounted for by race.
| Population Type: | Measure Used with Members of this Group | Members of this Group Studied in Peer-Reviewed Journals | Reliable | Good Psychometrics | Norms Available | Measure Developed for this Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disabilities | Yes | |||||
| African Americans | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Latino | Yes | Yes |
Pros & Cons/References
1. Berah, E. (1997). Test Review: The Trauma Symptom Inventory. Psychiatry, Psychology, and the Law, 4, 93-94.
2. Boccaccini, M.T., & Brodsky, S.L. (1999). Diagnostic test usage by forensic psychologists in emotional injury cases. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 30, 253-259.
3. Bradley, R.G. & Follingstad, D.R. (2003). Group therapy for incarcerated women who experienced interpersonal violence: A pilot study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16, 337-340.
4. Briere, J., Elliot, D.M., Harris, K., & Cotman, A. (1995). Trauma Symptom Inventory: Psychometrics and association with childhood and adult trauma in clinical samples. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 10, 387-401.
5. Ebert, L., & Fairbank, J.A. (1996). The Trauma Symptom Inventory: Assessing the spectrum of symptoms associated with traumatic stress. American Psychology – Law Society News (Division 41 of the American Psychological Association), Fall, 21-23.
6. Edens, J.F., Otto, R.K. & Dwyer, T.J. (1998). Susceptibility of the trauma symptom inventory to malingering. Journal of Personality Assessment, 71 (3), 379-392.
7. Larson, G.E., Booth-Kewley, S., Merrill, L.L., & Stander, V.A. (2001). Physical symptoms as indicators of depression and anxiety. Military Medicine, 166, 796-799.
8. Merrill, L.L. (2001). Trauma symptomatology among female U.S. Navy recruits. Military Medicine, 166, 621-624.
9. Resick, P.A., Nishith, P., & Griffin, M.G. (2003). How well does cognitive-behavioral therapy treat symptoms of complex PTSD?: An examination of child sexual abuse survivors within a clinical trial. CNS Spectrums, 8, 340-342, 351-355.
10. Rosenthal, B.S. (2000). Exposure to community violence in adolescence: Trauma symptoms. Adolescence, 35, 271-284.
11. Rosenthal, B.S., & Wilson, W.C. (2003). Impact of and exposure to community violence and psychological symptoms on college performance among students of color. Adolescence, 38, 239-249.
12. Runtz, M.G., & Roche, D.N. (1999). Validation of the Trauma Symptom Inventory in a Canadian sample of university women. Journal of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, 4, 69-80.
13. Sigman, M.R., & Wilson, J.P. (1998). Traumatic bereavement: Post traumatic stress disorder and prolonged grief in motherless daughters. Journal of Psychological Practice, 4, 34-50.
14. Wallis, D.N. (2002). Reduction of trauma symptoms following group therapy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 36, 67-74.
15. Wilson, C.W., & Rosenthal, B.S. (2004). Psychological effects of attacks on the World Trade Center: Analysis before and after. Psychological Reports, 94, 587-606.