PTSD Assessment Instruments
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS)
The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) is a structured clinical
interview designed to assess adults for the seventeen symptoms of Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) outlined in DSM-IV along with five associated features
(guilt, dissociation, derealization, depersonalization, and reduction in
awareness of surroundings). Prior versions of the CAPS (CAPS-1 and CAPS-2) were
designed to assess, respectively, current or lifetime PTSD status or PTSD
symptoms over the previous week. The current version of the CAPS incorporates
both of the previous versions' features. The CAPS provides a means to evaluate:
- self-reports of exposure to
potential Criterion A events,
- a current and/or lifetime DSM-IV
diagnosis of PTSD,
- the frequency and intensity
of each symptom,
- the impact of the seventeen
PTSD symptoms on social and occupational functioning, and
- the overall severity of PTSD.
The CAPS consists of standardized prompt questions, supplementary follow-up
(probe) questions, and behaviorally anchored 5-point rating scales
corresponding to the frequency and intensity of each symptom assessed. It also
describes clear behavioral indicators, has a time frame concordant with that of
DSM diagnostic criteria, and separate frequency and intensity ratings. (A sample CAPS question appears at the bottom of
this page.)
The CAPS is available for a nominal fee to mental-health professionals with advanced training in the
administration of diagnostic instruments for clinical or research purposes.
To obtain scale:
Use our request form.
To obtain training materials and tools:
Click here for more information.
Sample CAPS Question
3. (B-3) Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring
(includes a sense of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and
dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur on awakening or
when intoxicated). Note: In young children, trauma-specific reenactment may
occur.
Frequency
Have you ever suddenly acted or felt as if (EVENT) were happening again?
(Have you ever had flashbacks about [EVENT]?) [IF NOT CLEAR:] (Did this ever
occur while you were awake, or only in dreams?) [EXCLUDE IF OCCURRED ONLY
DURING DREAMS] Tell me more about that. How often has that happened in the past
month (week)?
0 Never
1 Once or twice
2 Once or twice a week
3 Several times a week
4 Daily or almost every day
Description/Examples
Intensity
How much did it seem as if (EVENT) were happening again? (Were you confused
about where you actually were or what you were doing at the time?) How long did
it last? What did you do while this was happening? (Did other people notice
your behavior? What did they say?)
0 -- No reliving
1 -- Mild, somewhat more realistic
than just thinking about event
2 -- Moderate, definite but
transient dissociative quality, still very aware of surroundings, daydreaming
quality
3 -- Severe, strongly dissociative
(reports images, sounds, or smells) but retained some awareness of surroundings
4 -- Extreme, complete dissociation
(flashback), no awareness of surroundings, may be unresponsive, possible
amnesia for the episode (blackout)
QV (specify) _______________________________
Past week
F _____ I _____
Past month
F _____ I _____ Sx: Y N
Lifetime
F _____ I _____ Sx: Y N
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