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BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Computer-adapted testing (CAT) allows for selection of only the most sensitive and discriminating items to be used to assess presence and severity of a wide range of health and mental health domains, thus greatly facilitating the assessment process, and at the same time reducing the burden of assessment by including the smallest possible number of items. Through CAT it is possible to obtain highly reliable and valid assessments with as few as 6 -8 questions. Paper and pencil questionnaires, some of which contain up to 100 items, and structured interviews, are far lengthier and not necessarily more accurate. With increasing numbers of military personnel returning from deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is valuable and cost-effective to employ the most efficient and effective means possible to assess the health and mental health status of returning veterans.
OBJECTIVE(S):
The primary objectives of this project are 1) to conduct the developmental work needed to create a computer-adapted test (CAT) to screen for, assess severity of and monitor course of illness and treatment outcomes for PTSD; and 2) to lay the groundwork and obtain the preliminary data needed to prepare an investigator-initiated research proposal (IIR) to complete development of a PTSD CAT.
METHODS:
The proposed project will use the best established methods for health assessment instrument development. We will conduct a comprehensive literature review of existing self-report PTSD measures, construct a conceptual framework describing the structure and components of the PTSD, create an initial PTSD item bank including all items from the instruments reviewed, conduct literacy testing and qualitative review of each item by an expert panel of PTSD stakeholders, including clinicians who treat the condition, researchers who study it, and veterans who suffer from it. In addition, we will conduct cognitive interviews with eight veterans to determine item clarity, relevance and understandability. Finally, we will prepare an instrument for wider testing in an IIR project.
FINDINGS/RESULTS:
No results at this time.
IMPACT:
This developmental work will contribute to facilitation and enhancement of VAs capacity to effectively and efficiently screen for and assess severity of PTSD. The proposed work will complement and supplement current work funded by an NIH cooperative agreement to develop computer-adapted tests for a range of other health conditions including pain, fatigue, social functioning and emotional distress. Computer-adapted health assessments will be transferable to existing VA initiatives such as MyHealtheVet.
PUBLICATIONS:
None at this time.
DRA:
Mental Illness, Military and Environmental Exposures
DRE:
Technology Development and Assessment
Keywords:
PTSD, Adjustment Disorders
MeSH Terms:
none
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