A Psychometric Evaluation of the Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder – 2nd Edition: Replication and Extension in a Trauma-Exposed Community Sample

Abstract

Trauma exposure is common and can result in a complex clinical presentation, including the manifold symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well a range of comorbid conditions such as dissociation, depression and suicidality, and substance misuse. Accordingly, comprehensive and accurate assessment of trauma survivors is challenging. Structured interviews by expert clinicians are considered the gold standard, but these may not be feasible in resource-limited contexts. Questionnaires are more widely used because they are generally brief and low cost. However, they are subject to response bias and most are focused only on PTSD symptoms. The present study examines the psychometric performance of a comprehensive questionnaire for PTSD and related constructs, the Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder – 2nd Edition (DAPS-2). The current study replicated and extended previous psychometric evaluations of the DAPS-2 in a community sample of adult individuals with PTSD (N = 85). Analyses included evaluation of the internal consistency of the DAPS-2 PTSD and associated features scales, as well as evaluation of several sources of validity evidence for the DAPS-2 PTSD Total scale, including convergent and discriminant validity and diagnostic utility for predicting PTSD diagnosis on the original and recently revised versions of the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5 and CAPS-5-R). Results indicated high internal consistency for all DAPS-2 PTSD and most associated features scales, with Cronbach’s alpha ranging from .58 (Substance Use scale) to .97 (PTSD Total scale). The DAPS-2 PTSD Total scale demonstrated strong convergent and discriminant validity and moderately strong agreement with the CAPS-5-R/CAPS-5 (efficiency = .79). These findings support the use of the DAPS-2 as part of a comprehensive assessment battery for trauma survivors or as a stand-alone clinical tool when structured interviews are not practicable.