UCLA PTSD Reaction Index

Description

The UCLA PTSD Reaction Index is a self-report assessment tool designed to evaluate post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents following exposure to traumatic events. It assesses both trauma history and the frequency of PTSD-related symptoms.

Purpose

The instrument is used to identify and assess symptoms associated with traumatic experiences, including intrusive memories, avoidance, negative thoughts and emotions, hyperarousal, and functional distress.

Main Symptoms Assessed

The questionnaire examines symptoms such as:

intrusive memories and distressing dreams,
avoidance of trauma-related reminders,
emotional detachment,
concentration and sleep difficulties,
hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response,
negative beliefs and self-blame,
risky behavior and dissociative symptoms.

Scoring

Symptoms are rated according to their frequency during the past month, using a 5-point scale:

0 = None
1 = Little
2 = Some
3 = Much
4 = Most.
Higher scores indicate greater severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Reliability

The available material reports internal consistency coefficients ranging from α = .88 to .91, indicating high reliability.

References

Pynoos, R., Rodriguez, N., Steinberg, A., Stuber, M., & Frederick, C. (1998). The UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-IV (Revision 1). UCLA Trauma Psychiatry Program.

Steinberg, A. M., Brymer, M. J., Decker, K. B., & Pynoos, R. S. (2004). The University of California at Los Angeles Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index. Current Psychiatry Reports, 6, 96–100.