Validation of the Iranian Version of the University of California at Los Angeles Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Index for DSM-IV-R

BACKGROUND Natural disasters, both expected and unexpected, usually cause widespread injuries and destruction with a large number of survivors, including children. Several studies have shown that children may develop posttraumatic stress disorder after exposure to disasters such as an earthquake. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the screening abilities of the University of California at Los Angeles Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Index for DSM-IV (Revision 1) (UCLA PTSD for DSM-IV) among Iranian school-aged children. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty months after the Qeshm Island 6.1-magnitude earthquake in 2008, we screened 50 students aged between 7 and 12 years for posttraumatic stress disorder using the UCLA PTSD INDEX for DSM-IV. A Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV criteria was used as the gold standard. RESULTS The internal consistency for all the scales was good and Cronbach's coefficient for the overall items was 0.76. The sensitivity of this questionnaire was high (0.96), while its specificity was moderate (0.50). CONCLUSIONS The study findings showed that the Iranian version of UCLA PTSD Index for DS-MIV-R was appropriate for screening PTSD in children.