City Research Online

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: City Birth Trauma Scale is a recently developed scale specifically designed for evaluation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth based on the DSM-5 criteria (Ayers, Wright, & Thornton, 2018). Previous studies showed a two-factor structure of PTSD symptoms in postpartum women; however, more complex models were not tested. This study aimed to validate the Croatian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale and determine the latent factor structure of postpartum PTSD.

METHOD: In a cross-sectional study, 603 women completed online questionnaires comprising the City Birth Trauma Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the anxiety subscale from the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21).

RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the bifactor model of birth-related symptoms and general symptoms had an excellent fit to the data. Both subscales and the total scale showed high internal consistency (α = .92). Convergent and divergent validity testing showed high validity, especially for birth-related symptoms. Discriminant validity was confirmed with primiparous women and women who gave birth by instrumental vaginal delivery and emergency caesarean section having significantly higher scores on birth-related symptoms, but not on general symptoms, suggesting high discriminant validity of the birth-related symptoms subscale.

CONCLUSIONS: The City Birth Trauma Scale is a reliable and valid measure. Both total scale score and subscale scores can be calculated. It is highly recommended for use in postpartum population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	©American Psychological Association, 2019. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. Please do not copy or cite without author's permission. The final article is available, upon publication, at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000501
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Midwifery & Radiography
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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