Analysis

The Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) is designed for the diagnosis and assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in individuals who have experienced traumatic events. It is useful for both clinical diagnosis and research purposes, as it provides a systematic method for identifying PTSD symptoms.

Objective

The primary objective of the PDS is to identify and assess the severity of PTSD symptoms in individuals exposed to traumatic events. The tool helps healthcare professionals understand the nature and intensity of the symptoms, offering valuable insights for developing treatment and intervention strategies.

Scoring

The PDS includes a series of questions related to three main symptom categories:
Intrusive re-experiencing
Avoidance and emotional numbing
Increased arousal and hypervigilance
Participants respond to questions regarding the intensity and frequency of these symptoms over the past month.

References

Foa, E. B., & Tolin, D. F. (2000). Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS): A review of its development and application. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(3), 349–357.
Foa, E. B., Cashman, L., Jaycox, L., & Perry, K. (1997). The Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale: Manual for the PDS. The National Center for PTSD.
Blake, D. D., Weathers, F. W., Nagy, L. M., & Keane, T. M. (1995). The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL): A review of its development and validation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 8(2), 255–274.
Van der Kolk, B. A., McFarlane, A. C., & Weisaeth, L. (1996). Traumatic Stress: The effects of trauma on the mind and body. Guilford Press.
American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). American Psychiatric Association.