Hopkins Symptoms Checklist 25(HSCL-25) Urdu translation: an instrument for detecting anxiety and depression in torture and trauma victims.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The two major psychiatric illnesses associated with trauma and torture are major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Obtaining accurate knowledge of traumatic event and symptoms and properly classifying them into a diagnostic system is fundamental for providing effective treatment and good therapeutic intervention. The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) measures symptoms associated with diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder as defined by DSMIII R manual and symptoms. Therefore an attempt is made to translate the HTQ, the only cross-culturally validated screening instrument for the assessment of trauma and torture related to mass violence and their sequelae. METHODOLOGY The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) was translated into Urdu by a team of psychiatrists and linguistic experts proficient in national languages belonging to different ethnic backgrounds. Each member translated HTQ independently and subsequently a work shop was arranged to develop the standard translation and finally it was approved. Subsequently back translation of the approved questionnaire was carried out by independent multilingual psychiatrist to test the accuracy of the approved translation and was formally accepted.