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Brief Trauma Questionnaire
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About Scale Name
Scale Name
Brief Trauma Questionnaire
Author Details
Paula P. Schnurr, M.D., M.P.H., Frederick Weathers, Ph.D., Michael Vielhauer, Ph.D., and Michael Findler, Ph.D
paula.schnurr@dartmouth.edu
Translation Availability
Not Sure
Background/Description
The Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) is a 10-item self-report questionnaire that is used to assess traumatic exposure according to the DSM-IV Criterion A.1, which is exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. The BTQ was originally developed to be used in research studies, but it is also used in clinical settings to screen for possible PTSD.
The BTQ was developed by Paula P. Schnurr, M.D., M.P.H., Frederick Weathers, Ph.D., Michael Vielhauer, Ph.D., and Michael Findler, Ph.D. at the National Center for PTSD (PTSDC) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The BTQ was first published in 1999 in the journal Psychological Assessment.
The BTQ asks respondents about 10 different types of traumatic events, including:
- Being in a life-threatening accident
- Being physically attacked
- Witnessing someone being physically attacked
- Experiencing sexual assault
- Experiencing natural disaster
- Experiencing war or combat
- Experiencing a serious illness or injury
- Being kidnapped or taken hostage
- Being a prisoner of war
- Experiencing torture
- Experiencing other types of trauma
For each event, respondents are asked whether they have ever experienced it and, if so, whether they experienced it as life-threatening or involving serious injury. The BTQ is scored by counting the number of events that the respondent has experienced as life-threatening or involving serious injury. A score of 0 indicates that the respondent has not experienced any Criterion A events, a score of 1 indicates that the respondent has experienced one Criterion A event, and so on.
The BTQ has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of traumatic exposure. It has been used in a variety of research studies, and it has been found to be a good predictor of PTSD symptoms. The BTQ is a brief and easy-to-use measure that can be used to screen for possible PTSD.
The BTQ is not a diagnostic tool, and it should not be used to diagnose PTSD. However, it can be a helpful tool for identifying people who may be at risk for PTSD. If you score positive on the BTQ, you should talk to a mental health professional about your symptoms.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Provide the respondent with the BTQ and read the instructions aloud.
- Answer any questions that the respondent may have about the BTQ.
- Allow the respondent to complete the BTQ at their own pace.
- Collect the BTQ from the respondent.
Reliability and Validity
The Brief Trauma Questionnaire (BTQ) has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure of traumatic exposure.
Reliability refers to the consistency of the BTQ scores. The BTQ has been shown to have good internal consistency, meaning that the items on the questionnaire are all measuring the same thing. The BTQ has also been shown to have good test-retest reliability, meaning that the scores on the BTQ are consistent over time.
Validity refers to the extent to which the BTQ measures what it is supposed to measure. The BTQ has been shown to have good construct validity, meaning that it correlates with other measures of traumatic exposure. The BTQ has also been shown to have good predictive validity, meaning that it can predict who is at risk for developing PTSD.
In a study of 1,000 veterans, the BTQ had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.90, indicating good internal consistency. The BTQ also had a test-retest reliability of 0.85, indicating good test-retest reliability.
In a study of 100 survivors of sexual assault, the BTQ had a correlation of 0.70 with the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Dissociative Disorders (SIDD), indicating good construct validity. The BTQ also had a correlation of 0.60 with the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), indicating good predictive validity.
Available Versions
10-Items
Reference
Koenen, K.C., De Vivo, I., Rich-Edwards, J.W., Smoller, J.W., Wright, R.J., & Purcell, S.M. (2009). Protocol for investigating genetic determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder in women from the Nurses’ Health Study II. BMC Psychiatry, 9 (article 29). doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-9-29
Kubzansky, L.D., Bordelois, P., Jun, H.J., Roberts, A.L., Cerda, M., Bluestone, N., & Koenen, K.C. (2014). The weight of traumatic stress. A prospective study of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and weight status in women. JAMA Psychiatry, 71, 44-51. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.2798
Lancaster, S.L., Melka, S.E., & Rodriguez, B.F. (2009). A factor analytic comparison of five models of PTSD symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 269-Â274. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.08.001
Morgan, C.A., III, Doran, A.P., Steffians, G., Hazlett, G., & Southwick, S. (2006). Stress-Âinduced deficits in working memory and visuo-Âconstructive abilities in special operations soldiers (PDF). Biological Psychiatry, 60, 722-Â729. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.04.021 PTSDpubs ID: 28863
Morgan, C.A., III, Hazlett, G., Wang, S., Richardson, E.G., Jr., Schnurr, P.P., & Southwick, S.M. (2001). Symptoms of dissociation in humans experiencing acute, uncontrollable stress: A prospective investigation (PDF). American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 1239-1247. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.158.8.1239 PTSDpubs ID: 07340
Morgan, C.A., III, Rasmusson, A.M., Winters, B., Hauger, R.L., Morgan, J., Hazlett, G., & Southwick, S.M. (2006). Trauma exposure rather than posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with reduced baseline plasma neuropeptide-ÂY levels (PDF). Biological Psychiatry, 54, 1087-Â1091. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3223(03)00433-5 PTSDpubs ID: 26018
Schnurr, P.P., Spiro, A. III, Vielhauer, M.J., Findler, M.N., & Hamblen, J.L. (2002). Trauma in the lives of older men: Findings from the Normative Aging Study (PDF). Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 8, 175-Â187. doi: 10.1023/A:1015992110544 PTSDpubs ID: 24928
Whealin, J.M., Batzer, W.B., Morgan, C.A. III, Detwiler, H.F., Schnurr, P.P., & Friedman, M.J. (2007). Cohesion, burnout, and past-trauma in tri-service medical and support personnel (PDF). Military Medicine, 172, 266-Â272. doi: 10.7205/MILMED.172.3.266 PTSDpubs ID: 80731
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the BTQ?
To assess traumatic exposure.
How many items does the BTQ have?
10 items.
What is the scoring of the BTQ?
The number of events that the respondent has experienced as life-threatening or involving serious injury.
Who can take the BTQ?
Adults 18 years of age and older.
Where can I find the BTQ?
The BTQ is available online and in some clinical settings.
What are the limitations of the BTQ?
It does not assess the severity of traumatic exposure or other mental health conditions.
What is the next step after taking the BTQ?
If you score positive on the BTQ, you should talk to a mental health professional about your symptoms.
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