Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults
Background: Post-traumatic stress measurement in non-Western contexts often utilizes Western assessment tools.Objective: The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Global Post-Trauma Symptom-Item Bank (GPTS-IB) among adult caregivers of youth living with HIV in Uganda.Methods: We utiliz...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2520635 |
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| author | Lynn Murphy Michalopoulos Melissa Meinhart Erin Walton David Robertson Autumn Thompson Thomas Northrup Jong Sung Kim Nikita Aggarwal Anne Conway |
| author_facet | Lynn Murphy Michalopoulos Melissa Meinhart Erin Walton David Robertson Autumn Thompson Thomas Northrup Jong Sung Kim Nikita Aggarwal Anne Conway |
| author_sort | Lynn Murphy Michalopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Post-traumatic stress measurement in non-Western contexts often utilizes Western assessment tools.Objective: The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Global Post-Trauma Symptom-Item Bank (GPTS-IB) among adult caregivers of youth living with HIV in Uganda.Methods: We utilized qualitative and quantitative methods to establish validity and to develop a reduced version of the GPTS-IB.Results: Cognitive interview results (n = 31) indicated that participants understood items of the GPTS-IB, but revisions in wording were needed for some items. A reduced version of the GPTS-IB, the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda (GPTSS-U) was created through item response theory analyses based on discrimination criteria and difficulty parameters. A relationship between the GPTSS-U and the PHQ-9 (r = 0.547; p < .000) scores and the PCL-5 (r = 0.9, p < .001) scores indicated acceptable discriminant and convergent validity, respectively. Test information function curve findings indicated that the GPTSS-U was most precise at moderate to severe levels of post-traumatic symptoms. Using nested linear regression models, we found incremental or predictive validity as the total scores on the GPTSS-U significantly predicted functional impairment (p < .05) beyond the ability of the Post Traumatic Stress Checklist-5.Conclusions: Results indicated that the GPTSS-U was a valid measure of post-traumatic symptoms among caregivers of youth with HIV in Uganda. Future research should continue to assess the utility of the GPTSS-U in other non-Western contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ebcaef96c4be45e19b8bb417b517c37d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj-art-ebcaef96c4be45e19b8bb417b517c37d2025-08-20T03:17:39ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662025-12-0116110.1080/20008066.2025.2520635Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adultsLynn Murphy Michalopoulos0Melissa Meinhart1Erin Walton2David Robertson3Autumn Thompson4Thomas Northrup5Jong Sung Kim6Nikita Aggarwal7Anne Conway8University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD, USAColumbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USAUniversity of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD, USAUniversity of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD, USASchool of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USAUniversity of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD, USACollege of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USAUniversity of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD, USACollege of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USABackground: Post-traumatic stress measurement in non-Western contexts often utilizes Western assessment tools.Objective: The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Global Post-Trauma Symptom-Item Bank (GPTS-IB) among adult caregivers of youth living with HIV in Uganda.Methods: We utilized qualitative and quantitative methods to establish validity and to develop a reduced version of the GPTS-IB.Results: Cognitive interview results (n = 31) indicated that participants understood items of the GPTS-IB, but revisions in wording were needed for some items. A reduced version of the GPTS-IB, the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda (GPTSS-U) was created through item response theory analyses based on discrimination criteria and difficulty parameters. A relationship between the GPTSS-U and the PHQ-9 (r = 0.547; p < .000) scores and the PCL-5 (r = 0.9, p < .001) scores indicated acceptable discriminant and convergent validity, respectively. Test information function curve findings indicated that the GPTSS-U was most precise at moderate to severe levels of post-traumatic symptoms. Using nested linear regression models, we found incremental or predictive validity as the total scores on the GPTSS-U significantly predicted functional impairment (p < .05) beyond the ability of the Post Traumatic Stress Checklist-5.Conclusions: Results indicated that the GPTSS-U was a valid measure of post-traumatic symptoms among caregivers of youth with HIV in Uganda. Future research should continue to assess the utility of the GPTSS-U in other non-Western contexts.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2520635Traumameasurementvalidationitem response theoryglobal mental healthTrauma |
| spellingShingle | Lynn Murphy Michalopoulos Melissa Meinhart Erin Walton David Robertson Autumn Thompson Thomas Northrup Jong Sung Kim Nikita Aggarwal Anne Conway Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults European Journal of Psychotraumatology Trauma measurement validation item response theory global mental health Trauma |
| title | Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults |
| title_full | Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults |
| title_fullStr | Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults |
| title_short | Development and validation of the Global Post Trauma Symptom Scale-Uganda among trauma-affected adults |
| title_sort | development and validation of the global post trauma symptom scale uganda among trauma affected adults |
| topic | Trauma measurement validation item response theory global mental health Trauma |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20008066.2025.2520635 |
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