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DAPS

Detailed Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress

John Briere, PhD

Purpose:
Assesses trauma exposure and symptoms of posttraumatic stress
Format:
Paper and pencil, Online administration and scoring via PARiConnect, E-Manual
Age range:
18 years to 91 years
Time:
20–30 minutes; 15–20 minutes to score
Qualification level:
B
B
A degree from an accredited 4-year college or university in psychology, counseling, speech-language pathology, or a closely related field plus satisfactory completion of coursework in test interpretation, psychometrics and measurement theory, educational statistics, or a closely related area; or license or certification from an agency that requires appropriate training and experience in the ethical and competent use of psychological tests. Close

Test for PTSD or Acute Stress Disorder in Less Time

 

The DAPS is a self-report instrument that assesses peri- and posttraumatic symptoms and associated features related to a specific traumatic event. It provides a detailed assessment of PTSD in a short amount of time.

Features and benefits

  • Trauma scales were normed on a sample of more than 400 respondents from the general population who reported exposure to at least one DSM-IV-level trauma in the past.
  • Validity scales help to identify individuals who, for whatever reason, over or underreport psychological symptoms.
  • Measures trauma exposure in detail. It not only evaluates the respondent’s cumulative lifetime history of DSM-IV traumatic 7 events (including experiences of childhood sexual abuse), but it also assesses his or her immediate dissociative, cognitive, and emotional responses at the time of whatever trauma is specified for evaluation.
  • Evaluates each of the three PTSD symptom clusters (reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal) in detail.
  • Generates a probable diagnosis of PTSD, in addition to measuring symptom severity.
  • Includes specific scales for three associated features of PTSD: trauma-specific dissociation, suicidality, and substance abuse. Additional information on these comorbid symptoms contributes to a more complete psychological assessment and often has direct clinical implications for the treatment of traumatized individuals.

Features and benefits

  • A 104-item measure, the DAPS generates a tentative diagnosis of PTSD or acute stress disorder in considerably less time than is required for a structured diagnostic interview. This diagnosis can then be confirmed by a clinical interview.
  • Assesses both current and lifetime history of DSM-IV-TR trauma exposure and the severity and clinical significance of the client’s posttraumatic symptoms, including dissociative, cognitive, and emotional responses.
  • Do you need to screen a client or a group?  Derived from the DAPS, the PSS screens individuals for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidality in under 5 minutes.