The Los Angeles Symptom Checklist: A Self Report Measure of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

A series of inquiries was conducted on the psychometric properties of the Los Angeles Symptom Checklist (LASC), a self-report measure of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and associated features. Data were drawn from various samples of individuals who completed the LASC in prior studies: Vietnam veterans (n = 300), battered women (n = 123), adult survivors of child sexual abuse (n = 142), maritally distressed women (n = 36), psychiatric outpatients (n = 105), and high-risk adolescents (n = 168). The instrument was shown to possess high internal consistency (alphas ranging from .88-.95) and test-retest reliability (coefficients of .90 and .94 with a 2-week interval), to be dominated by a strong PTSD first factor, and to demonstrate acceptable levels of convergent validity. Normative information is provided for various samples, including help-seeking male combat veterans, help-seeking females, and high-risk adolescents. As a self-report PTSD assessment device, the LASC has potential for use with various trauma groups.

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