Hospitalized adolescents' reports of sexual and physical abuse: A comparison of two self-report measures
Corresponding Author
Deborah S. Lipschitz
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
National Center for PTSD, Connecticut VAMC, West Haven, Connecticut
Psychiatry Service (116A), Connecticut VA Medical Center, 950 Campbell Ave., West Haven, Connecticut 06516Search for more papers by this authorDavid P. Bernstein
Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Bronx VA Medical Center
Search for more papers by this authorRobert K. Winegar
Communication Disorder Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York
Search for more papers by this authorSteven M. Southwick
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
National Center for PTSD, Connecticut VAMC, West Haven, Connecticut
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Deborah S. Lipschitz
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
National Center for PTSD, Connecticut VAMC, West Haven, Connecticut
Psychiatry Service (116A), Connecticut VA Medical Center, 950 Campbell Ave., West Haven, Connecticut 06516Search for more papers by this authorDavid P. Bernstein
Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Bronx VA Medical Center
Search for more papers by this authorRobert K. Winegar
Communication Disorder Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York
Search for more papers by this authorSteven M. Southwick
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
National Center for PTSD, Connecticut VAMC, West Haven, Connecticut
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
This study assesses the consistency of adolescents' reports of sexual and physical abuse via two self-report questionnaires with different measurement approaches and examines demographic and psychopathological characteristics that influence abuse reporting. Seventy adolescent inpatients completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) (Likert-type items are summed to form dimensional scales, and cutoff scores determine abuse status), the Traumatic Events Questionnaire—Adolescents (multiple-choice items determine abuse status) and measures of depression, suicidal ideation, and dissociative symptoms. Consistent reports of physical and sexual abuse were given by 86% and 71% of youngsters, respectively. Discrepant reporters of sexual abuse were significantly more likely to be male, whereas consistent reporters were significantly more depressed and suicidal and reported higher levels of sexual abuse and emotional and physical neglect. Adolescents, for the most part, were consistent in their responses about sexual and physical abuse on both a Likert scale and a direct-answer-format questionnaire. The CTQ had a lower threshold for detection of sexual abuse, particularly for boys.
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