Development of an Expert-Rater Assessment of Trauma History in a High-Risk Youth Forensic Sample

• Published in: Psychological trauma 2019-10, Vol.11 (7), p.713-721
• Main Authors: Dargis, Monika, Sitney, Miranda, Caldwell, Brendan, Caldwell, Michael, Edwards, Bethany G, Harenski, Carla, Anderson, Nathaniel E, Van Rybroek, Gregory, Koenigs, Michael, Kiehl, Kent A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adverse Childhood Experiences; At Risk Populations; Child Abuse; Criminals; Exposure; Exposure to Violence; Factor Structure; History; Human; Humans; Incarceration; Interview, Psychological - standards; Juvenile Delinquency; Male; Prisoners; Psychological Trauma - diagnosis; Psychopathy; Reproducibility of Results; Self Report - standards; Self-Report; Test Construction; Test Reliability; Test Validity; Trauma; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1942-9681; 1942-969X
• DOI: 10.1037/tra0000423

Objective: Exposure to childhood trauma is particularly prevalent among incarcerated juveniles. Although there is a growing understanding of the detrimental impact trauma exposure can have on child and adolescent development, childhood maltreatment can be very difficult to accurately measure. Integration of self-report trauma histories as well as supplemental file reports of trauma exposure may provide the most accurate estimate of experienced trauma among youth in correctional settings. Method: The current study developed an expert-rated assessment of trauma that synthesizes self-report, as well as objective file information, using a sample of 114 incarcerated male juveniles. Results: In addition to establishing scale factor structure, reliability, and validity, the current study provides additional evidence of the prevalence of trauma among incarcerated juveniles and reports on external correlates of the scale that are particularly relevant in correctional settings (e.g., psychopathic traits). Conclusion: These results suggest that the integration of both self-report and file material can be meaningfully used to assess traumatic symptomology. Clinical Impact Statement This study demonstrates that self-report trauma histories as well as supplemental file reports of trauma exposure can be meaningfully integrated to provide a more complete assessment of trauma exposure among adjudicated adolescents. These findings highlight need for an expert-rated measure of childhood trauma among incarcerated youth, and demonstrate utility of a novel trauma assessment.