Assessments
Perceived Traumatic Birth Tool (PTBT) screening assessment
This 4-question, unnamed tool screens for perceived traumatic birth.
The initial assessment that mothers encounter is an untitled four-question TBE screening assessment that has been independently validated (Mogdadm, Shamsi, & Moro, 2015), and replicated (Abdollahpour, Bolbolhaghigi, & Khosvari, 2016). The screening tool is based on DSM-V criteria for PTSD diagnosis (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). It addresses feelings of threat as well as emotional responses; accordingly, two questions assess threat and two assess emotional response.
My initial population of mothers struggled to understand the questions as they were originally written. I altered the questions to a lower reading level and increased the level of conversational style. Mothers were immediately responsive to the modified questionnaire and understood it more readily. I also changed the wording of "labor" to "birth" as many mothers who experience traumatic birth do so via C-section.
The original assessment, as well as the modified version, can be found in the embedded Google Doc below. A Google Form version can also be copied and saved as your own. Find out more here.
Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) baseline and follow-up assessment
This 19-question assessment measures the level of traumatic memories experienced by mothers.
Following a traumatic birthing experience and before potential interventions, patients are evaluated with a Google Forms-hosted Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) (Hansen, Armour, Wang, Elklit, & Bryant, 2015) which uses 19-questions to assess intrusions, avoidance, negative mood and cognition (APA, 2013). It is this assessment that indicates the level of intrusive traumatic memories experienced by others. My initial population of mothers struggled to understand the questions as they were originally written. I altered the questions to specify birth instead of the general term 'trauma.' Mothers were immediately responsive to the modified questionnaire and understood it more readily.
The original assessment, as well as the modified version, can be found in the embedded Google Doc below. A Google Form version can also be copied and saved as your own. Find out more here.
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale baseline and follow-up assessment
This 14-question assessment measures symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983) uses a 14-question format to assess anxiety and depression (APA, 2013). This scale is used as a baseline measure (pre-test) and is repeated in post-testing.
The HADS assessment tool can be found in the embedded Google Doc below. A Google Form version can also be copied and saved as your own. Find out more here.
